Harry Potter and the Planar Demon
by Wolvenna
Summary: Ch.6; Harry and the others awake after nearly a day of unexplained unconsciousness, and Jewel spends her nights and days tending the wounded Lily. Yet again, a pair of attacks happen within mere hours of each other. What on earth is happening?
1. Meeting Jewel

Time: July 17th, 6:30pm

Location: The Burrow

Molly Weasley was busily washing dishes in the kitchen of the burrow. Locks of red hair pulled back from her face, as she dipped her hands into the soapy water and proceeded to wash by hand. She'd long preached to her children about conserving magic, and using physical labor for tasks that could be accomplished in the same amount of time with same amount of efficiency.

Though outwardly she appeared unchanged by the battle that had raged through the wizarding world naught but months before, those that knew her well would note the lines of wear and loss that had been added to her face. The friends, and family, that had perished at the hands of the Death Eaters would never be forgotten by the witch that had been like a mother to the members of the Order of the Phoenix.

She ducked her head forward slightly to peer out the window over the sink and see if she could catch sight of the children...though children was hardly a suitable word anymore. The young witches and wizards had matured quite a lot due to their involvement in the ordeal. Especially Harry.

The dark haired, green eyed boy had changed quite a lot from the timid little creature she'd found on platform nine and three-quarters all of nearly eight years ago. He'd been scarred mentally, emotionally, and physically at times withdrawing into himself as he felt the weight of what Voldemort's attacks had cost him...he blamed himself for Fred's death, and for the deaths of others like Lupin and Tonks. It was because of him that their baby boy was now orphaned.

Of course, he wasn't permanently orphaned. Tonks' parents had taken him in and raised the little boy. Though Harry had been named Godfather, it was obvious that he wasn't in any position to now care for him. Harry himself had been given a home at the Burrow, where he'd grown inseparable from Ginny and Ron. Hermoine had returned to her parents, restoring their memories, and setting everything to rights with them. She came to the small house as often as possible though, taking her place at Ron's side.

The sight of the two pairs of young lovers always brought a smile to Molly's face. Harry relied heavily on Ginny, and the young woman rose to meet the role that she had stepped into. She was his support, and one of the few people that could draw him out of his shell when he was in one of his 'moods.'

She smiled slightly as she caught sight of the four of them, all mounted on broomsticks, playing Quidditch up amongst the trees and out of sight of the neighbors. Going back to her dishwashing she hummed softly to herself, glancing up as the clock on the well donged loudly several times. Her husband was nearly home, probably in the very act of disapparating from the ministry.

Things had been busy for all ministry officials since the end of the war. They'd been rushing to put things in order, trying desperately to get everyone back on their feet so that life would quickly return to normal in the wizarding world. Every night he'd come home this past week, Arthur had had some news about things that were being done to restore a sense of well being in amongst the witches and wizards.

For one thing, immediate work had begun on the rebuilding of Azkaban. Because the Dementors had proven twice now that they were easily swayed by those wielding dark magics, they were being banished from existence by a secret means known only to the department of mysteries. The transportation, and containment of the creatures had proven hazardous. Nearly costing several Aurors their lives when one of them had gotten loose and begun to try and suck souls left and right. Now, however, it was believed that nearly all of the creatures had been removed.

Of course no one was entirely sure what they would replace the Dementors with now that they were gone. The threat of such creatures had always been what kept dark magic users from attempting full blown revolts like the ones attempted by Voldemort. It was only when they had one united head, that they could form behind and that could organize their skills and throw out their weaknesses that they'd even dreamed of attempting such a thing. While news of the Dementors' banishment was being kept secret for the moment, it was only a matter of time before word got out and lawlessness set in.

A moment later a loud crack echoed through the air and Arthur appeared in the little walkway with his back towards the house. Barely had he come into view, before he was turning and running at a breakneck pace towards the house. "Molly!" She could hear him shouting as he rapidly approached the door.

Hastily drying her hands on her apron, Mrs. Weasley was stepping away from the sink and approaching the door with concern written on her face. Arthur burst in, his face a mixture unreadable but clearly he had something urgent to say to her. "Molly," he said again gasping for breath. "Call the Children in, they'll want to hear this as well." Arthur Weasley moved towards the table, lowering himself into one of the chairs and attempting to catch his breath.

Molly had no chance to reply to him, for it was at that moment that four breathless quidditch players were running into the house, brooms in hand, faces flushed from their fun. "Dad? What's wrong?" asked Ginny quickly, brushing past Ron and moving to get closer to her father.

"We heard you shouting," said Ron shrugging his shoulders slightly and looking over at Hermoine. The bushy haired girl said nothing, but unconsciously grabbed for Ron's hand, lacing her fingers through his. Harry moved forward to place and hand on Ginny's shoulder, a move that she answered by stepping back slightly from her father and slipping an arm around his waist.

Molly Weasley could only note these unconscious movements with a slight sadness. These four were just as jumpy as every else was currently, afraid that a new threat would rise at every turn. The promise of peace seemed almost too good to be true for these haggard young people, and they were determined to hang on tightly to the people that mattered most to them.

"I just came from the Ministry, and they've just issued a decree that applies to all students that attended (or were to have attended) Hogwarts last year. They know that quite a few parents kept their children from school because of the growing threat of the Dark Lord, and on top of that studies were interrupted, and all in all they deemed it a very unsatisfactory academic year," Arthur paused for a breath as Molly distractedly flicked her wand and set the tea-kettle to boil.

"They've decided that all schooling that should've been completed last year is to be retaken this year," said Arthur looking to each of the four before him as they visibly relaxed and Ron even let out a sigh of relief. "Hogwarts has been restored to its former state, and most of the teaching positions have been filled. However it will be a few more weeks before book lists are released. You four are expected to be on the Hogwarts Express with the rest of the students as usual."

Two very blanked faced wizards, and their witches, looked at Arthur and seemed to be without words. The prospect of returning to school, after everything that had happened, seemed slightly absurd to them. Even though Ginny still would've had to attend one more year anyway, she'd been ignoring this fact for as long as possible.

"Well," said Ron at last looking over at Harry. "I suppose that means one more year playing Quidditch for Gryffindor," he grinned.

Harry couldn't help but grin back at him. Leave it to Ron to find something to say at a time like this. "Yeah I suppose that's right," said Harry. "Perhaps this year we can finally get Hermoine on the team."

"I don't think so," said Hermoine passing her broom off to Ron and beginning to move towards the stairs. "If we're attending school again this year, that means that we'll have NEWTS to take at the end of the year, and there'll be far too much studying to do to prepare for that." She started up the stairs with a slight bounce in her step.

"Wait, Hermoine!" called Ron moving towards the stairs. It was too late though. The scholarly Gryffindor had already reached her room and was digging through her books. "Honestly, you'd think she'd at least consider waiting until tomorrow to start studying again? I mean, out of all of us she's probably the one that needs it least."

"Of course Ron," said Ginny. "But the reason Hermoine keeps studying is because she knows there's stuff that even she doesn't know about magic." The young red-haired witch smiled. "You two," she gestured to Ron and Harry, "Could take some pointers from her."

Ron burst out laughing and Harry soon joined him. Even Molly had to shake her head and smile. "Honestly Ginny," said Harry after a moment. "If we haven't developed Hermoine's love for studying by this time, then I don't think we ever will."

Before Ginny could respond, Ron cut in. "Can we at least see if she'll come down and finish this game of Quidditch? She may not be the best seeker in the world but she's better than none at all." The three of them began to head up the stairs, talking and laughing as they headed towards Hermoine's room.

Molly smiled as she took the kettle from the stove and poured herself and her husband a cup of tea. "It's nice to see them all smiling again," she said as she sat down and passed his cup to him. "Another year at Hogwarts may be just what they all need."

"Another reason why the Ministry decided on it," said Arthur looking of at his wife and smiling as he took his tea. "Too many children were affected badly by the war and they hope that a year back in a familiar environment might help stimulate some sense of normality in their lives."

"I hope it works," she said softly. "They've spent far too long behaving like adults and not enough time being children. A year of school, and peace might allow them just one last breath of childhood, before they're ushered off into some job, or behind some desk for the rest of their lives."

"Lord knows if anyone of them will come to that," Arthur spoke as he gingerly poured his tea into the saucer and set the cup on the table. "Especially Harry," he said with a grin. "I doubt anyone will let him settle down behind a desk. But more than that, I doubt Harry would let himself come to that." Sipping thoughtfully from his saucer he fell silent for a moment.

The noise of feet banging down the stairs, and a cacophony of voices (most prominent amongst them was Hermoine's tone of protestation) alerted the husband and wife to the return of the three quidditch players and Ron's unwilling seeker. Ginny reached the bottom the stairs first, with Hermoine close behind, and Ron and Harry following after. Hermoine's arms were crossed over a book that she held to her chest as she gingerly stepped down the last several steps...

BOOM!

The explosion echoed outside the house, rocking the Burrow slightly from the sheer force of it. Hermoine was sent sprawling into Ginny, with Ron and Harry tumbling over each other and landing in a tangle on the floor. Arthur's saucer of tea was spilled all down his front, but thankfully it had cooled enough to keep from scalding him. Molly, was the first to recover and begin moving again.

The others were close behind her though, the group rushing through the door and out into the open. The thick black smoke was dissipating, though the smell of sulfur that had come with it lingered a bit longer. It seemed concentrated in one spot, at the end of the walkway where visitors normally apparated and disapparted. A figure lay in a heap on the ground, soot covered everything making identifying it from such a distance nearly impossible.

It moved slightly, and it became more apparent that it was in fact human. Molly and Arthur were holding the children at bay behind them. All six of them watching with gross curiosity as whatever it was lifted itself up on one elbow. It appeared to be wearing robes of some kind, its hair was long and thick, though the color was unsure at this point in time. It managed to stagger to its feet, turning around slightly as it did so.

A slight gasp escaped Molly's throat and Arthur merely stared, as the figure (which was now also clearly female) stepped unsteadily towards them. "Molly..." it croaked, its voice clearly parched as it descended into a series of coughing fits that nearly sent it down again. "...please..." Whatever else it was going to say was lost as it stumbled and fell forward. Hitting the dirt path hard, it lay very still for a moment and then began coughing again.

"Ginny, fix up the spare room. Hermoine, make up a bath..." said Molly as she began to walk towards the figure. "Arthur, you and the boys are going to have to find some way to explain to the neighbors and the other muggles what all this smoke and that explosion was. Otherwise we'll have all sorts of unwanted guests poking around this place."

She kneeled down beside the charred figure before looking up at the three men and shooing them off towards the village to accomplish the task she'd set them too. Looking back down at this unexpected visitor, she could only shake her head slightly. It had been far too long.

* * *

Her first sensation was pain, not uncommon considering where she'd been living until just recently though. The second sensation was that of safety, and this was what ultimately drove her to open her eyes. Normally she would've just lain their until her strength had completely returned, and opened her eyes only as a show that she was ready to endure more hardship. However, this familiar (and yet so distant) feeling of safety was one that gave her hope. Hope that she'd at last gotten the combination right. Hope that she was home.

The light stung her eyes. It was pure, clear, and felt strange after the dimness that she'd been used to. It was only the light of a table lamp, but it still took her a moment to recover. There were voices, distant, garbled, but slowly becoming clearer as she listened to them more. That face, it was familiar. Kind, caring, curly red hair hair covering its head...was that...Molly Weasely? She'd aged a lot since the last time she'd seen them.

There were other faces beside hers. Young witches, eagerly waiting to see what was going on. One hand reflexively came to her forehead as a headache began to set in. Molly was moving, something was being held to her lips. She drank it and didn't struggle, she was too weak to struggle. If this were just another cruel illusion then she'd deal with the consequences when it were over. For the time being this feeling of comfort was too great to pass up.

Her hearing sharpened, a soft voice (Molly's voice) was calling something...a word. "Jeeeew-elllle" the syllables were drawn out and it took her battered mind a moment to put it together. "Jewel," came the gentle soothing tones again. Yes, she was Jewel. She was indeed Jewel...that was the name that she'd forgotten, to keep herself safe from the torturers. They'd simply called her "Cur."

She licked her lips which, despite the liquid she'd just been given, were miserably dry and cracked still. Swallowing what little saliva she had, to try and wet her throat, she spoke. "Molly?" her voice was hoarse. "Is that you? Did I make it?"

"Yes dear," came the gentle reply. "It's me, you're safe at the Burrow."

"Oh good," came the exhausted reply. "I was so afraid it was just a dream." As unconsciousness took her again.

* * *

"My word," muttered Minerva McGonagal as she stood in the living room of her small house in Hogsmeade. The newly appointed Headmistress of Hogwarts slowly paced the room once or twice before turning to look back over at the fireplace where the head of Molly Weasely was currently poking up amidst the embers. "She's been gone for so long, we all thought she was dead," said the older witch with something of a sigh as she lowered herself into a high backed chair.

"It was several months after the Dark Lord was defeated for the first time," said Molly quietly. "When she left for the last time that is."

"How is she doing?" concern seemed to line McGonagal's face. "Do you have the potions necessary?"

"No," said Molly. "That's part of why I contacted you. I don't really have anything to help her here. Other than a few simple pain dulling potions, and some herbal baths for her skin."

"I'll have Horace prepare the necessary things," said Minerva. "He stayed at Hogwarts over the summer with Filch and a few Aurors in an effort to ensure that everything is kept in order, and ready for the students this fall."

"So," said Molly slowly. "You're going to let Slughorn in on the secret as well?"

"I'm not sure how to avoid it," the older witch rubbed her temples slowly. "With Severus gone, there's no one else that I can think of with the skill to prepare the necessary potions. Not only that, but I'd prefer to keep the secret within Hogwarts itself. I'm sure she'll understand when she comes to full consciousness."

"What do you intend to do with her after she recovers?" asked Molly.

"We've currently got two absences in our staff. As usual the Defense Against Dark Arts class needs a new instructor, and with my promotion to head mistress we now need a new Transfiguration professor. As I recall, Jewel was particularly gifted in both areas."

"She was close to becoming an Animagus before she left us," reminded the younger witch.

"Indeed," said Minerva. "We'll see who I can locate to fill one of the vacancies and we'll place her in the other one." She took a deep breath, clearly not looking forward to the task of searching for someone to fill a teaching position.

Molly glanced back over her shoulder as if someone had addressed her and then she turned back to look at Minerva. "Apparently she's awake and she seems distressed so I should be going," said the younger witch rather hastily. She started to pull out of the fireplace and then paused. "Minerva? What should I tell her if she starts asking for him?"

The older woman sighed, "for now try to avoid the question. Whatever you do, don't lie to her though. When she's in a more solid frame of mind, someone is going to have to explain to her just how much has happened in her absence."

* * *

Her eyes stung, watered, against the soft light. Someone was slipping an arm under her head, and tilting it gently upwards. Was it him? She hadn't seen him since she'd arrived, he'd always come though. Ever since these jaunts had begun. Always been there to lift her head and hold the cool edge of the potion bottle up to her lips so that the soothing elixir could begin its work.

"That's a girl, Jewel," came a familiar voice. Familiar, but not the one she'd been expecting.

Complete consciousness invaded the dreamlike state she'd been in. With the coherence came the sudden shock of pain, but also the ability to perceive the world she was in and the people that inhabited it. "Slughorn?" she queried with a slight tone of confusion, as the ice blue eyes locked onto the face that she knew so well.

"Aye, it's me," said Slughorn slowly. "Here drink this," he lifted a small vial into sight and uncorked it. The familiar, bittersweet scent wafted through the air towards Jewel's nostrils. The vial was lifted to her lips and she drank without complaint, but questions swirled through her mind. As the last drops passed down her throat, she lifted a hand to her forehead and pushed back the thick red bangs that clung to the layer of sweat on her skin.

Taking her hand, Horace Slughorn gingerly pushed back the sleeve of the hand-me-down robe that had once belonged to Ginny Weasley. "Your skin is still burning up," he said meeting the steady gaze that peered out of the pale face of the young woman.

"Take your hands from me," she said in a growl edged tone as Slughorn attempted to expose her forearm. "I can assure you that there is nothing of importance there."

"So, it's spread again then?" asked the potions master taking his hands from Jewel's arm and folding them in his lap. "I must admit Jewel, you're the most unique person I've ever encountered. You have quite a lot of potential, I don't see why you'd keep a condition such as yours a secret. You'd be quite famous if witches and wizards knew what you are capable of."

"All the more reason for it to remain secret," said Jewel pulling herself up into a sitting position, in spite of the protestation from every limb in her body, and drawing her knees up to her chest. Red hair falling past her shoulders, and around her face like a mane, she looked steadily into the dark eyes of the professor. "I want you to leave now, and I want to be treated by a REAL potions master."

"I'm afraid that's quite impossible my dear," said Horace rising and gathering up his things. He moved to stand towards the door. "I assume, of course, that you're referring to our own dear Severus Snape?"

"Indeed," snorted Jewel. "Of who else would I be speaking when I ask for a potions master? Certainly not you. Why is it impossible?" Her sharp tongue, and unpleasant disposition could easily have been blamed on the fact that she felt as if she were being burned alive by the fires of hell itself. Then again, this was the way Jewel was when she was agitated.

"Because," said Slughorn with his hand on the doorknob. He turned it, pulled the door open and met Jewel's gaze. "Severus Snape...is dead."

Though he'd been preparing for a hasty departure, the professor had never anticipated Jewel's reaction to his statement. Without warning, her hand flashed out and closed around the nearest object (which happened to be the empty potions vial), and flung it at him. He'd begun to move, but far too late. It collided with the middle of his forehead and sent him tumbling to the ground outside the door of the room.

"Insolent bastard!" growled Jewel snatching up her pillow and cradling it between her knees and her chest. Her fingers digging into the soft fabric, as she slowly rocked back and forth on her bed. "It's alright," she said slowly. "I'll be alright."

Inwardly, she was howling in pain. Emotional pain, yes, but that tiny pang of loss was dulled in the face of the physical pain she was feeling. The hope of relief had been wiped away by the knowledge that the only man who'd been capable of making everything stop, was now dead.

The commotion had brought several people running. Amongst them Molly Weasely and her husband. There were voices, ones that Jewel didn't recognize, talking about the professor and working to try and help him up.

Molly's head poked in the door and looked over at the girl who seemed to be curled around herself, and who's face was the very likeness of a storm cloud, "Jewel? What's wrong? What happened?"

Blue eyes swung around to meet the other witch's gaze, hope shining beneath the glassy threat of tears. "Molly?" her voice was choked as she fought back both tears and pain. "He...Slughorn, he said...said that Severus is..dead. He's wrong, he was just trying to be cruel. Tell me the truth, tell me Severus is coming and he'll be here soon...tell me he'll make it all stop..." she was pleading as the first tears welled up and trickled down her ghostly pale cheeks. The thought of Slughorn 'just trying to be cruel' wouldn't have fit were she in her rational mind, but at the moment Jewel was far from rational. At the moment, she was on the edge of breaking.

Molly opened her mouth, but closed it abruptly. "You need to rest Jewel," she said at last. "We'll talk more when you wake up again." She tried to force a smile as she looked at the girl and could sense the pain that was seeping off of her.

"No," said Jewel abruptly. "I'm not sleeping. Not until someone tells me the truth. How long have I been away? Where's Severus? What the hell has been going on around here!?" She was distraught, frustrated, and in pain. All of which were making her temperamental.

"Jewel?" the voice from behind Molly was a welcome one and brought a light to the young woman's eyes.

"McGonagal?" she said quickly, a twitch of a smile showing as she caught sight of the old witch. "Please tell me...please..."

"I will answer your first question," said Minerva slowly. "But after that you must promise to sleep. You need to recover. I'll need you to fill a teaching position at Hogwarts come this fall and you'll be unable to do that if you remain in this condition, understood?"

The young woman nodded slowly. Her obvious respect for the other witch showing in her face and in the silence that had fallen over her.

"The fact of the matter is that Severus Snape was killed during your absence," she didn't hesitate in her speech. She'd run the words over and over in her head until she'd come to realize that there really was no other way in which to say it. Jewel was the sort of person that didn't do well with half-truths, and only took it as betrayal when people withheld things in an attempt to "dull the pain" as it were.

For a moment, the younger woman's expression was unreadable. She sat there, eyes wet with uncried tears, mouth slightly open, shock and disbelief crept into her eyes, but some sort of rationale kept her from flying completely to pieces. She swallowed hard before looking up at Minerva again. "How did it happen? and When?"

Before the elder witch could speak, there was some movement from behind her and Harry cautiously entered the room. "James?" confusion covered Jewel's face. James and Lily were dead weren't they? the rumor had been that they'd been murdered by the dark lord. "No..." she said after a moment, noting the boy's eyes. "Not James...you must be Harry."

Harry nodded slightly, "I was there when Severus Snape died," he said after a moment. "He was working as a double agent for us, against Voldemort." Jewel drew a sharp breath and he eyes flickered up to meet McGonagal's gaze.

"The dark lord has been killed at last," reassured the older witch. "Harry has fulfilled his Birth Right, and ended the threat once and for all." Jewel nodded and then turned her gaze back to Harry nodding for him to continue.

"I was hidden," said Harry slowly, "and at the time I was unsure of Snape's allegiance. He'd never given us any reason to trust him before. And it had only been a few months before that he killed Dumbledore." Another sharp breath from Jewel and Harry hastened to explain about the curse that was slowly killing the older wizard and the attempt to save Draco Malfoy from having to commit a heinous act that he really didn't have the heart for. When she finally understood, Jewel once again urged Harry to continue.

"Voldemort wanted the Elder Wand that Dumbledore had. When Snape killed Dumbledore he became the wand's new master, and thus Voldemort was unable to wield it properly. So he betrayed Snape, mortally wounded him, and left him for dead," said Harry looking up and meeting Jewel's pain filled eyes. "Right before he died, according to Dumbledore's orders, Snape gave me all of his memories to be used in the pensieve so that everyone would know the truth."

Jewel's mouth opened and closed several times as she sought words to bely her emotion. After a moment of gritting her teeth and choking back the tears she merely nodded. "I think, I'd like to rest now," she said her grip tightening around the pillow.

"Of course my dear," said Minerva as she turned and ushered the others out of the room. "I'll be waiting to talk to you downstairs when you wake up," said the HeadMistress as she lingered in the door way. Jewel merely nodded and watched as the door was pulled shut. Sliding down between the blankets and burying her face in her pillow, the woman worked to comprehend the changes that had taken place in her world...as she ignored the searing pain in her flesh.

* * *

"Who is she exactly?" asked Ginny, giving voice to the question that was bursting in the minds of the four youngest witches and wizards gathered around the table at the Burrow. Molly Weasly, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Slughorn were sitting around the table, all three of them trying to come up with the best way to answer the question.

"She was a student at the same time as I was," said Molly after a moment. "Her name is Jewel Drake, and she was one of your mother's best friends Harry. I believe she was a RavenClaw, but in spite of that she was often seen hanging around with Lily, James, and the others."

"What about that appearance she made?" asked Ron quickly. "That wasn't exactly what you'd call normal."

"Suffice to say that Jewel has been in a very bad place these last several years. She disappeared not long after the murder of Lily and James. We all thought she'd died, but apparently we were wrong," said McGonagall, weighing her words in a manner that reminded everyone of the former headmaster.

"So I take it that's all you're going to tell us?" said Ginny, straightforward as usual.

"Precisely, and you would do well not to ask Jewel yourselves. She's always been reclusive about her past, and all efforts to push her to share more have met with sour endings," McGonagall's voice was low. "Albus tried for years to gain her trust, and even then she never told him everything."

"But er, Professor?" Harry spoke haltingly as he grasped at the question. "Would it be alright to ask her about my mother? I know a lot about my father from when Sirius and Lupin were alive, but I know hardly anything about my mother."

"Your mother was the best friend anyone could ask for," came the weak a somewhat quavering voice of Jewel. Standing at the base of the stairs wearing Ginny's old robe, with a blanket draped around her shoulders, the woman looked pale, weak, and not at all fit to be standing. Long red hair was stringy and hung limply about her shoulders. She was leaning against the wall for support as she looked past the other occupants of the room and stared directly at Harry. "Ask me anything you wish about her and I'll be more than willing to share."

"Jewel," McGonagall spoke slowly eyeing the younger witch with concern in her eyes. "You really should be resting."

"With all due respect professor, and no insult meant to Molly, I'd prefer to stay at Hogwarts," said Jewel reaching up and rubbing her eyes. "I think that being back in that familiar place will help my recovery."

McGonagall nodded and rose from her seat, crossing the room she placed a supportive hand on Jewel's shoulder. "Molly, if we could make use of your fireplace..."

"Of course," said Molly offering a soft smile. "I'll just get the bag of Floo Powder." Rising from her seat, the red-haired witch made her way to a cabinet in the kitchen. Digging around for several minutes she finally located a pouch containing the dust-like substance of Floo Powder.

"Thank you dear," said Minerva as she lead Jewel over to the fireplace. Stepping up onto the hearth, with one arm firmly wrapped around the slumping shoulders of Jewel, the headmistress reached into the bag that Molly extended towards her. Pulling out a fist-full of Floo Powder, she clearly said "Refuge Cottage," and tossed the powder to the ground at their feet. Green flames sprang up and engulfed them both, and a moment later they were both gone.

* * *


	2. The Book

A/N: This is a short chapter in preparation for the return to Hogwarts. Keep reading, let me know what you guys think. I appreciate all reviews, and I promise I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible.

* * *

Location: Diagon Alley, late morning a few weeks later

"Why don't you four run ahead to the shop and see George?" suggested Molly Weasley with a soft smile on her face. "Arthur and I'll pick up your books from Flourish and Blotts, alright?" She looked at each of the four teenagers standing before her, and then back up at the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. There was so much going on, and despite the fact that there were scorch marks from wizard battles, and a few shops that had been completely burnt out, the people seemed to determined to try and put as much of the past behind them as possible.

Cheerful "hellos" and "nice to see yous" were heard all through the area, and there was a constant low hum of conversation that filled everyone's ears. It was this little piece of normality, this corner of the wizarding world, that set Harry the most at ease. This place, as with most wizards raised in muggle society, had been his first taste of a life where magic was commonplace.

"Alright," said Ginny catching Hermoine's arm and dragging her off before the other girl could protest. Ron and Harry followed along quickly, trying not to loose sight of the girls as they weaved their way through the crowd of people.

"There," said Ron pointing out the clearly obvious sign of 'Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes'. Bright, animated, and flashing signs and announcements covered the front of the building, adding to the highly upbeat and attention grabbing nature of the shop that had been started by Weasley twins nearly two years ago. When Fred died, George doubled his efforts on the shop now dragging his fiance, and former Quidditch team-mate, Angelina Johnson into the business.

Pushing their way through the throngs of people crowded at the door, the four friends were soon making their way amongst the rows of shelves. At the end of each row was a table with items marked as either "So new you'll think you died and went to heaven," or "so improved that you'll think it's new."

Several large signs pointed the way to "guaranteed solutions to boring lectures" and most prominently featured on a stand on the front counter was a thick book titled "The Ultimate guide to smuggling anything into Hogwarts, written by George Weasley and dedicated to the best twin anyone could ask for."

"Selling something like that is dangerous," stated Hermoine eyeing the book warily with Ginny at her elbow. Harry and Ron had stopped to look through several crates of discounted pranks.

"Aww, now Hermoine," came the ever upbeat voice of George Weasley as a momentary break in the customers gave him the chance to take notice of the two girls. "I thought that out of all people you'd be the one most impressed by the fact that I wrote a book." He grinned and slipped around the counter to bestow a hug on each of them. "Besides, this book sold so well it made it to the top of the Daily Prophet's Best Seller list just this morning," he chuckled. "A few minutes after we opened guess who shows up? None other than Filch himself. The old boy bought a copy of the book from Angelina, refused to speak to me, and left without so much as word."

"You really are incorrigible," said Hermoine.

"And he wouldn't be George if he wasn't," said Angelina Johnson smiling brightly as she made her way out of the back room with a blue pygmy puff sitting on her shoulder.

"Hello Angelina," said Ginny brightly.

The other girl grinned, "I was hoping I'd see you guys soon. I was going to send these by owl, but I thought it'd be better to hand them out in person." She handed them each a cream colored envelope with ornate silver designs laced across it. On the front, each girl's name was written in black ink.

Exchanging knowing grins, Ginny and Hermoine both opened their envelopes. As expected, it was an announcement for the wedding of Angelina Johnson and George Weasley, to take place on Christmas Eve at a lodge in the mountains.

"This is wonderful," said Ginny, her eyes skipping over the contents of the invitation once again. "Do mum and dad know?" she looked up at Angelina as George excused himself to help some customers.

"Not yet," said Angelina, "are they here?"

"Yes, they should be catching up with us in a moment, they were just picking up our books for us," said Ginny, folding up her invitation and sliding it back into the envelope.

"Look Ginny!" Ron's excited voice cut through the crowded shop as he pushed his way forward. "Can you believe this? We've been miniaturized!" He held out his hands and in the palm of each was a small lifelike figurine. One was an exact replica of Ron in his school robes, and the other was a masked figurine that was quickly recognizable as a death eater. "There's a whole set, of almost everyone that was in that final battle. And watch, they interact if you put them near each other." He set the two figures on the counter in front of each other.

They came to life almost instantly, drawing their wands and assuming dueling stances. Circling each other, tiny bursts of green and red flashed across the open spaces between them as high pitched voices called out curses and hexes.

"And you've got to see...they've got a plaque up above the box where these are..." Ron's voice had become solemn as he turned back in the direction he'd come and motioned for Ginny and Hermoine to follow.

The three of them made their way over a spot where quite a few people had gathered. The boxes of figurines were receiving a lot of attention, but it was the plaque on the wall above it that was getting the most stares. Harry was standing, staring up at the plaque, a heaviness about him that was easily sensed by those around him.

Ginny reached his side, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder before looking up at the gold plate on the wall. Engraved at the top, in large bold letters, were the words "Those who gave their lives in the battle against the Dark Lord." Four Columns of names seemed to finally put a face on the sheer number of lives lost.

Names of friends, family members, and complete strangers...they were all there, or at least all that could be accounted for. They were unaware of how long they'd been standing there, when the voice of Arthur Weasley came up behind them.

"Alright," he said softly placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and one on Ron's. "Let's go home, it's been a long day. Molly's already gone back to make lunch."

Slowly, and with a bit more coaxing, they all peeled themselves away and bid goodbye to George and Angelina. It was a silent group that disapparated from Diagon Alley and back to the Burrow.

* * *

Location: The Burrow, a few hours later

"Ronald!" Hermoine's tone was highly displeased as she stood with her hands on her hips in front of Ron, who was sprawled in large chair with a book on his lap and a half eaten apple in one hand. "I honestly, cannot believe that you actually bought that book." She reached out and snatched the volume away from him, snapping it closed.

"Hey now Hermoine give that back," said Ron reaching for the book. "It's highly informative. And I didn't buy it, George gave it to me."

"I had hoped that by this point and time you'd grown out of such childish antics," said Hermoine rather distastefully tucking the book under her arm and starting to walk away.

"Where are you going with that? I wasn't finished reading it," groaned Ron jumping up from his chair and following after her.

"Good, it hasn't done too much damage then," she said sourly as she walked out the front door with Ron's book still firmly in her grasp, despite the fact that he'd drawn his wand and was desperately trying to accio it.

The moment she was outside, she drew her own wand and held the book at arm's length for a moment...her first impulse had been to destroy it. A quick and simple blasting curse would get rid of it for good. She could feel Ron's eyes on her back...watching her.

In one quick moment she hitched back her arm, chucked the book up into the air, and flicked her wand at the book. A moment later, it disappeared. Replacing her wand in her pocket, she turned to face a rather ashen Ron. "What did you- where did it go?"

"I banished it Ron," said Hermoine looking directly at him. "We're mature adults now, and above the childish things that we used to do. We're still also house prefects, in case you'd forgotten, which means we're an example to the other students. Besides," she paused for a moment and looked over her shoulder roughly at the spot where the book had disappeared. "I have a bad feeling about it."

* * *

"Kingsley Shacklebolt has finally been sworn in as the official minister of magic," said Arthur rather cheerfully as he sat around the table with his wife, children, and the two that were already so close that they felt like family. Forks and knives clinked against plates as dinner was consumed."

"I say, well done," said Harry grinning.

"Kingsley's a much better man for the job than old Fudge ever was," agreed Ron with a grin and a mouth-full of food.

"I thought he didn't want to permanently take the position," commented Molly, looking up at her husband.

"Originally that was the case," said Arthur pausing long enough for a fork full of food to make it to his mouth. After swallowing, he continued, "But when all of the department heads came together, there really was no other person for the job, and Shacklebolt realized it. So he accepted."

"What does that mean for Percy?" asked Hermoine mentioning the third eldest Weasely boy.

"He'll retain his position as aide to the minister," said Arthur. "I've also heard that he may be spending time out at Hogwarts helping to oversee the Aurors that are being kept in reserve around the premises. They don't want to take any chances."

"Which is completely understandable," said Molly glancing over everyone's plates to ensure that they were all eating and that everyone appeared satisfied. "This year, I want everyone completely packed the night before we head to King's Cross. I don't want more of the chaos that's been happening every morning since Bill turned eleven."

Ginny giggled, and glanced over at Hermoine who was shaking her head slowly. Both girls fully aware that nothing would ever be anything short of chaotic when Harry and Ron were involved.

* * *

"I told you to have everything packed last night!" Molly Weasely's voice came echoing up the stairs and down the halls. "If you're not down here in ten minutes you can walk to King's Cross!"

Harry, and Ginny were outside with Arthur, busily packing things into the car. Hermoine was off searching for Crookshanks. The bandy-legged cat had decided to go off gnome hunting that morning and hadn't been seen since. Ginny's pygmy-puff, Arnold, was in his little cage, sitting next to Pigwidgen, waiting to be loaded. Everyone noticed the absence of Hedwig, the beautiful snowy owl that had been with Harry almost from his first moment as a wizard. No one said anything, Harry had refused to get another owl and hadn't been interested in any other pets...so for now an empty cage sat upstairs in Harry's room.

Molly came bustling out of the house, "Haven't you gotten those things loaded yet? We're going to be late. Where's Hermoine? We need to have that cat in his cage." Momentarily distracted, she went off to help Hermoine look for Crookshanks. Several minutes later Ron came out of the house dragging his trunk behind him and looking slightly disheveled.

"Finally decide to get out of bed?" teased Ginny as she handed Arnold's cage to Harry to be packed into the magically expanded interior of the car.

"I couldn't find my quidditch robes," he said mournfully as Arthur helped him lift his trunk into the boot of the car. "I was up looking for them all night, and tried to get up early and look for them this morning."

"Don't worry about it Ron," said Harry stepping back from the car. "I'm sure you're mum'll find them in the washing and send them to you soon enough. First match shouldn't be for a few weeks, and you can practice in your extra school robes."

"I know," said Ron, "but it really makes for a sour start to the year."

"Are we ready?" came Molly's voice as she came striding back from the garden. Hermoine was close behind with Crookshanks swinging from her arms. The cat was quickly caged and placed in the car, followed by the humans who were being militantly ordered into position by Mrs. Weasely.

* * *

"Quickly, quickly, quickly," Molly repeated the words over and over as she followed along behind the four teenagers and their luggage carts. Expertly crossing the barrier and stepping onto platform nine-and-three-quarters there wasn't a single person in the group who didn't feel a slightly relieved little sigh at the sight of the familiar red Hogwarts engine. Familiar faces were everywhere, as they moved along to load their luggage onto the train.

"Harry! Hermoine!" came the high-pitched and whisical voice of Luna Lovegood. The petite little blonde hadn't changed very much since they'd last seen her. Light hugs were passed around to each of her friends before she stepped back to smile brightly at each of them. "I was afraid you wouldn't come, there were a lot who didn't think that people so famous as you would want to go through another year of school."

"We wouldn't have missed it for the world," said Ron grinning brightly.

"Neville's already got a compartment saved for us," said Luna. The warning whistle for the train broke through the air, and Harry turned slightly...just in time to catch sight of his one time enemy, and long time rival, Draco Malfoy. His eyes narrowed slightly, but a quick prod from Ginny snapped him out of it.

"We need to get on the train," the young red-head reminded him.

With loving hugs from Molly, and Ron demanding that she find his quidditch robes, the four of them hastily boarded the Hogwarts Express.

Reaching the compartment where Neville was seated, Hermoine left Crookshanks with Harry and dragged Ron off to find the rest of prefects.

Harry settled into his seat next to Ginny with a genuine grin on his face for the first time in months.

* * *

To my readers: So glad to have you all and hope to have your input and thoughts on my writing. Suggestions to improve my style, criticism and praise alike, are both welcome.

NavyBlueDreamsandKhakithoughts: I'm glad to hear your thoughts on the story so far. Her hair color actually does have something to do with her heritage, but that'll be revealed more later.

gary-t: Thanks for the patience, so nice to see that you're so interested.

Ishi'vanah Zuma Halcyon: Your opinion means so much to me! Thanks for the encouragement.

Mirai Gogeta: Here's more for you to read, with the next chapter already in the works.

* * *


	3. Vulcanus Contentus

A/N: another update, sorry for the delay. From now on the chapters will probably come once a week. I've got work, and soon school will be starting again. This chapter took forever because I was racking my brain trying to come up with the sorting hat's song. Anyway, thanks for the feed back and the watches. I appreciate them immensely.

* * *

A familiar voice was calling over the din of the students as they thronged off of and around the train after pulling into Hogsmeade station. "Hagrid!" shouted Harry pushing his way through the crowd towards the hulking form of the half-giant. Next thing he knew, Harry was being swept up in a bone-crushing hug.

"Harry m'boy," cried Hagrid, only releasing him when he heard Harry start to splutter and cough for air. "It's so good ter see yah again Harry," one of Hagrid's large hands clapped over Harry's shoulder and a few misty tears seemed to be gathering in his eyes. "My, my, but I got a job ter do. I'll see yeh at the feast Harry." Hagrid turned away cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting "First years! Over hear, first years!"

There were few amongst the students who couldn't see the thestrals this year. Yet another grim reminder of the events of the previous year. But there were still the second year students who saw the "horseless" carriages and marveled at the fact that they were pulling themselves.

It was that bit of whimsy and wonder, brought about by the younger students, that helped their seniors relax a bit and return to some of the original feel of Hogwarts' mystery and wonder.

The ride towards the castle, from Hogsmeade, was more silent than usual. Each of them quietly wondering to themselves what this last year at Hogwarts would have in store for them, and Harry silently praying that everything would be quiet, calm, and absolutely normal.

* * *

Please gawk at my appearance

Sit and stare at my stains

But when it's time to sort you

I am the one who reigns

Many generations have I seen

Many students have I sorted

and If you seek a place at Hogwarts

Then here is what I must report

You may be sent to join with Gryffindor

The house in which bravery does abound

Though they may lack in judgement

They always stand their ground

Or perhaps you're meant for Hufflepuff

Of whom loyalty is the staple

Sometimes misplaced can be their trust

But they're unwavering and they're able

Should you be meant for Ravenclaw

Then you have a knack for intellect

Your true allegiance, as of yet unknown

From you great things we can expect

Or are you of the blood of Slytherin

The house where live the sly

By many assumed to be worthless and dark

In them does mystery lie

Now come right up and take your place

Get your name amongst the rest

Begin a new year at Hogwarts

For some it will be your best

As the sorting hat's song ended, there was uproarious applause that filled the hall all the way up to the enchanted night sky that twinkled on its ceiling. The line of first years was lead in by the tiny professor Flitwick, and each of them sent up, one by one, to receive their house assignment.

As this was taking place, it was a rather bored Ron that let his gaze wander away from the sorting and towards the table where the professors were sitting on either side of professor McGonagall. The Weasley boy sat for several minutes in confused silence and then turned, tugged on Hermoine's sleeve and pointed towards the table.

"Who do you suppose those two are?" he asked indicating a pair of new faces that sat on either side of Hagrid.

"New teachers I suppose," whispered Hermoine. "That one on Hagrid's left is definitely Jewel, the woman that showed up at the burrow. The other woman...I'm not sure, I've never seen her before."

"Which one do you suppose got the defense against dark arts job?" whispered Neville, leaning across the table.

"I hope it's not Jewel," said Harry quickly becoming involved in the conversation, "I'd hate for something to happen to my mum's best friend."

"For the last time," Hermoine sounded exasperated. "The job isn't cursed."

"Every person that's had that job hasn't lasted more than one year," said Ron. "Even you've got to admit Hermoine, that's more than just a coincidence."

"There's a reasonable explanation for everything," she maintained, "you honestly have nothing to worry about."

"Ahem," the voice came from the front of the room where professor McGonagall stood to address the students. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts School of WitchCraft and Wizardry. I am your headmistress, Professor Minerva McGonagall. There is, waiting for your consumption, a delightful meal prepared by loving hands ("enslaved hands," muttered Hermoine). But before we can proceed with that there are a few things that I would like to address.

"Our groundskeeper, Argus Filch, would like me to remind you all the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and ALL of their products are banned from the school premises. Any student caught with said items will be given detention, to be determined by the staff member that catches you.

"As usual, the Forbidden Forest is completely off limits to students, unless serving a detention or under the direct supervision of a staff member.

"I would also like everyone to welcome our two newest staff members. To the left of our own Rubeus Hagrid, we have Jewel Drake who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Victoria Hawthorn who will be instructing your transfiguration lessons.

"I'd also like to note that our flying instructor, and quidditch referee, Madam Hooch, will be taking over as the housemaster for Gryffindor," there were hisses of displeasure from the Slytherin section of the hall, and shouts of approval from the Gryffindors on the other end.

"Madam Hooch has assured me that her judgement will be impartial, as it always is when it comes to Quidditch. But, in an effort to balance things out a bit, we've selected Blaise Zabini, from Slytherin, to be the new announcer." The hisses died away and were replaced with a murmur of approval, while the Gryffindors sat in disinterest, all that mattered to them was that they had the referee on their side.

"I believe I've covered everything...Oh, there will be ministry appointed Aurors around main entrances of the grounds, and they will be present at any large gatherings. They will not be interfering with us, and I should like to remind you all to keep out of their way. They're here to do a job, and any distraction from you is not to be tolerated. The Aurors do have the authority to take you directly to the nearest teacher for punishment if you're caught doing anything you shouldn't."

McGonagall let her words sink in for several moments before smiling and drawing her wand. "Now that I've talked quite long enough, why don't you all enjoy your meal?" Flicking her wand, a moment later the four house tables were overloaded with scrumptious food of all kinds. As the delicious aroma filled the air, the students settled in to eat.

* * *

"Well what did you think?" asked Ron as he and Harry were in the room that they shared with Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom.

"Think about what?" asked Neville. "It was all rather mundane really," he shrugged his shoulders as he donned his night shirt.

"Everything seems a bit off after what last year was like," said Seamus. "You lot weren't here, but the whole place seemed to have gone quite mad."

"I'd have rather been here than skulking across the countryside," said Dean. "I'll tell you, there were DeathEaters everywhere."

"But everything's back to normal now," said Harry sitting on his bed and staring out the window as a flash of lightening split across the sky. "This year will be just like our first. No. Better. Because this year is our last at Hogwarts, the last chance that we get to live as kids and really get the most out of the school year."

The sound of rain pattering against the window pane was the only one that filled the room as the five boys remained in silence. Until Ron began digging through his trunk and located a box of chocolate frogs. "Anyone want one?"

* * *

"Double Potions, this time with Ravenclaw, at 8 o'clock. Then at ten is Transfiguration, then at eleven Ancient Runes for me, which breaks at Eleven-thirty for the lunch hour, and finishes at twelve-thirty. Then from one-thirty to two-thirty is is defense against the dark arts, with Slytherin. And lastly is Herbology, with Hufflepuff, from two-thirty to three-thirty, and that switches off with Charms every other day," Hermoine read off the list as she Harry and Ron sat at the breakfast table in the dining hall.

"Lunch hour? Hermoine, that sounds like two hours," commented Ron grabbing the list and reading it over.

"You two will have a two hour break because you both have one free slot," she said quickly. "I'll be taking Arithmacy and Muggle Studies every other day during that hour."

"You have too many classes as usual Hermoine," said Ron shaking his head. "Honestly, you're going to burn yourself out."

"I've been doing this for seven years Ron," said Hermoine snatching back the schedule and tucking it neatly into her back with the rest of her books. "Now let's go, it's nearly time for Potions."

"What annoys me," said Harry as they clambered to their feet and began to walk the familiar path from the dining hall to the potions class, "is that we have to take Defense Against the Dark arts with Slytherin of all houses."

"Oh honestly Harry," said Hermoine. "You of all people should be aware that not all Slytherin's are necessarily evil. I mean, look at Malfoy. You even told me that Mrs. Malfoy lied, to none other than Voldemort himself, and kept you alive."

"Yes but," Harry hesitated unsure of where he was going with his thoughts. "I just don't think Malfoy is the kind of person that's going to turn over a new leaf like that. I'm not going to expect any kind of miraculous change, or for him to even so much as say 'hello' to me."

"We'll see," said Hermoine.

* * *

"Alright welcome to your NEWTs level potions class," Professor Horace Slughorn stood at the front of the class and eyed the group of students before him. "I requested, that the Headmistresses no longer require Slytherin and Gryffindor to take potions together, I've discovered that far too many fouled potions are due to the fact that there's so much bad blood between the houses."

He pulled out his wand and tapped the edge of the cauldron that sat boiling before him. "Within this pot is a rather odd little potion much used by those that are involved in the daily care of dragons. Mr. Weasley," he turned and looked at Ron. "I do believe you have a brother who works with dragons in Romania?"

"Yeah my brother Charlie," replied Ron already dreading what he believed would be the next question.

"Do you think you can identify this potion for us?" asked Slughorn.

"Well..."

Hermoine had already sniffed at the air and was holding her hand aloft begging to be called upon, while Ron continued to struggle with his answer.

"There are a lot of different potions involved with caring for dragons," said Ron who was trying to stall and glean his answer from another source. "Like...there's ones for burns, and some for cuts, or other sorts of injuries that come from working with dragons."

Hermoine squirmed slightly and probably would've elbowed Ron had Harry not been in the way.

"Though I believe, from the strong scent," said Ron sniffing the air and catching a whiff of an odor not unlike a sweaty pair of shoes and vanilla, "That this particular potion is meant to be used on the dragons themselves," he sniffed again. "No, actually I do remember this one now. Charlie reeked of it when he came home for to visit not long after going to Romania." Ron looked excited at the fact that he actually knew something. "It's a potion for young dragons that are just getting their scales, to help ease the pain and make them more docile. Charlie said that they become extremely aggressive when they're in pain, so they make this potion and give it to them. Because of they way a dragon's nose is built, they only smell, and taste, the vanilla."

"Correct, ten points for Gryffindor," said Slughorn as an exasperated Hermoine let her hand fall to her lap, but smiled over at Ron in silent congratulations. "Now I'll award you another five house points if you can tell me the name of the potion."

"Um, it was something like..." Ron scratched his head for a moment and tried desperately to remember the name of the potion.

"Vulcanus Contentus," blurted Hermoine unable to bite back her tongue any longer. "It's the potion form of a spell by the same name. Both are rather tricky to use, and the spell can only be cast by a wizard who knows the exact anatomy of a dragon, and where exactly to concentrate the spells power to relieve the pain."

"That is indeed Correct, Miss Granger, however I cannot award interruption in my class, so there will be no house points awarded," said Slughorn very smoothly and with his same signature smile. "However, I'm sure you can make up for that in this following lesson."

Turning his back to the class he tapped a piece of chalk with the tip of his wand and gestured to the calk board on the wall behind him, the chalk busily began to scrawl out the ingredients and directions for this lesson's potion. "Today we'll each be brewing a flask of Vulcanus Contentus. The dragon caretakers society is rather under supplied due to the fact that the majority of potion makers had their stores raided or destroyed during the brief time that the dark lord was in power. They have requested that I brew, and bottle, as much of this potion as is possible and send it to them for their use." He paused and looked back at the class, "Then I recalled that I would have a NEWTs level potions class to teach, and thought that it would be the perfect opportunity for to hone your skills.

"Any ingredients not in your potions kits can be found in the storeroom as you well know. I believe the only item that you'll need from there is a few pinches of Essence of Grindylow. Remember, follow the directions to the letter. This is a tricky potion and if you have any doubts then raise your hand immediately. Now you may begin," said Slughorn with a grin.

Hermoine's eyes flickered over the chalkboard incredulously. "How can he expect us to brew this?" she muttered as she cracked open her potions kit and began pulling out lacewing flies, valerian roots, sopohorous leaves, peppermint, pufferfish-eyes, and half a vanilla bean.

"Aguamenti," muttered Harry holding his wand over his cauldron. A jet of water burst out, filling the cauldron and nearly overflowing it onto the work table. Other students, who were carrying, levitating, or dragging their cauldrons over to fill them with water, eyed Harry curiously. Some of them rolling their eyes, a few of them attempting to copy his actions.

"Good job Harry," came Slughorn's approving tone. "Five points for ingenuity."

Several minutes later the room was full of the sound cauldrons starting to simmer over low fires, and students busily cutting, crushing, and grinding their ingredients into correct proportions, adding, stirring, and trying their best to follow the directions accordingly.

"Hermoine?" Ron's voice was quavering slightly as he reached around and tapped her on the shoulder. "What do you suppose that is?" His potion, which should've been a soft golden-brown, was nearly black with a silvery white wisp that wafted through the center of it and eventually formed into a row of jagged teeth, grinning hungrily upwards.

"You're water wasn't hot enough when you added the essence of grindylow," muttered Hermoine. "It needs to be hot enough to kill any spirit of grindylow that's still alive," Hermoine prodded the fire under Ron's cauldron with her wand, using a non-verbal spell to coax the flames to burn hotter.

Minutes later, a few bubbles broke the surface of as the potion began to boil, the black and silver dissipated and then disappeared altogether, and was replaced by the same soft-golden brown that was bubbling happily in Hermoine's cauldron.

Several other students weren't as lucky as Ron was though. The grinning teeth were joined by a head, which eventually rose above the surface of the potion where the rest of the grindylow's body continued to form. Normally they were amphibious creatures, but these appeared a ghosts, or spirits that wafted through the air menacing the students and sweeping low over the cauldrons seemingly trying to coax the other grindylow out.

"I was wondering if this would happen," muttered Slughorn. "Students, this can easily be remedied with a simple stunning hex. Anything to break their connection with the corporeal world." He turned to a Grindylow that was whizzing past him and flicked his wand "Stupefy!" the bolt of red hit the insubstantial creature and a moment later it wavered and disappeared. The grinning face reappeared back in the cauldron of one of the nearby students. "Now, hurry and heat your potion up to the point where it kills off the spirit of the grindylow before it can escape again."

All over the room shouts of "Stupefy!" were being uttered as students attempted to recapture the spirits that had escaped from their potions. Of course this took time, and there were instances of other students getting hit with misfired hexes. With all of five minutes left to class, all of the grindylow had been reclaimed and sufficiently subdued.

Slughorn wandered between the rows of students, examining their potions and adding nods of approval. "Alright," he said as he returned to the front of the classroom. "You all seem to have successfully completed the first part of this potion. However, there are three parts, all of which must be brewed separately and then brewed together in a fourth and final step. The entire process will take several months, because each of the individual potions will have to age before they can be mixed. Please bottle a flask of what you have, label it with your name, and turn it in to me before you leave. I'll store them until they are needed again."

"Don't you think it's odd that until now, every potion we've made can be used on humans," said Ron as they filed up with the rest of the students to turn in their flasks.

"Well, this is a NEWTs level class," said Hermoine. "Of course we're going to be doing things we've never done before."

"If you think about it, it kinda makes sense," said Harry. "This is the kind of thing that someone would need to know if they were going into a job like Charlie's."

"I know, it just seemed odd that's all," said Ron. "You'd think that if their were potions for other creatures that we'd have made more of them by now."

"Not at all," came Slughorn's voice and the three looked up to realize that they were at the front of the line. Walking up and setting their flasks on his desk Slughorn grinned at them all. "Potions for creatures, and even non-humans, are all extremely complicated and require a knowledge of the ingredients. Like Miss Granger today knowing that Essence of Grindylow needing to have the life scalded out of it. Because Dragons are such large powerful creatures they require powerful (and sometimes dangerous) ingredients. Same with things like unicorns, thestrals, giants, and centaurs. There's a whole separate branch of potions called ZooPotionology. One which you may consider for your future careers." With that he gestured for them to move off and allow the next students to approach the desk.

As they left the dungeon Hermoine pulled out the schedule from her pocket. "What's next?" asked Ron peering over her shoulder.

"Transfiguration, with that new professor Victoria Hawthorn," said Hermoine putting tucking the list away again. "I hope she's at least half as good as Professor McGonagall."

* * *

A silky haired golden retriever sat at the front of the classroom, a large pink ribbon tied around its neck with a bow sitting prominently behind its head. Everything about it was long and lean and graceful, and bright blue eyes glittered brightly out from the long slender face. "I believe this is our professor," said Hermoine as she entered the room near the head of the group of students. "It would make sense that she's an animagus." Hermoine slid into a seat and began digging through her books.

"Yes it would make sense," agreed a young blonde girl that appeared to be a first year student. "However, that's not the case in this situation." The girl began to stride confidently towards the front of the room, golden curls bouncing around her shoulders as she paused by the dog and scratched its head. "This is Flamel named after, of course, the well known Nicholas Flamel." She grinned as she circled around behind the desk and looked at each of the students, all of whom looked bewildered at the sight of a first year student pretending to be their professor. Not only was she in the wrong class, but she was also taking several extremely high risks.

"Little Girl, you're going to get yourself into trouble," said Hermoine quite sternly as she rose from her seat.

"Oh dear," said the girl as she dropped into the professor's chair. "You lot are absolutely no fun at all. The first year students this morning actually got quite a laugh out of my antics." She rolled her eyes, "But I suppose you're all 'too old' for such nonsense." Clicking her tongue against her teeth and shaking her head, she clambered onto the desk and stood in front of the class. "Alright, I'll stop, but allow me one last bit of fun." She drew her wand, despite loud protestations from Hermoine, and promptly tapped herself twice on the head.

There was a flash and cloud of smoke encircled her, and as it died away it left behind what was easily the same little girl if she'd aged about twenty years. "Now that I've gotten all of your attention, and discovered that you're all a lot of gits with no sense of fun, I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Victoria Hawthorn," she smiled and hopped easily to the floor. "I'll be your transfiguration instructor for the rest of this year, and as it is your final year we must prepare you for your Nearly Exhausting Wizarding Tests, that will be taking place in June."

She flashed a smile at them all and leaned against the desk. "Now, you're all Gryffindors correct? Well I'm a Slytherin, well was, but don't worry about a thing. I'm more interested in getting a good laugh than I am in revenge and house loyalty and all that rot. So you can relax around me, and hopefully we'll be having quite a lot of fun this year."

The room was so silent you could've heard a pin drop, everyone seemed momentarily overwhelmed by the well-groomed, well-dressed, former Slytherin that stood before them. She cleared her throat and moved to stand behind the desk, touching the dog's head as she walked passed him. "As I said before, this is Flamel," Professor Hawthorn turned to observe the students yet again. "He has been my closest friend for a very long time, and he will be helping me keep an eye on you all."

A bright smile crossed her face as she held her wand aloft, "Why don't we begin with a bit of transfiguration to help break the ice here, alright? I want all of you to transfigure your desks into a dog, and use Flamel here as your example. There's a bit of technique involved here, and as you've had such a skilled instructor for the past six years I feel that I only have to focus on your technique, the rest of what I'm asking you to do should be instinctual by now. The words are quite simple and can be altered to fit whatever you're trying to transfigure an object into. It simply goes...objectus formarin canis."

Hermoine was amongst the first to rise and stand beside her desk then turn to face it. Ron, and Harry quickly joined her and soon everyone was beginning to cast the spell upon their desks. Several desks sprouted hair, or tails, one began barking rather loudly. Still more had the back end of a dog but not the front, or the other way around. There were a few with a dog's legs, and a few that were dog shaped but retained the wooden desk look. Hermoine's was the only one that remained unchanged, her mouth was still shut tightly, and her eyes were closed.

"Looks like Hermoine's gone and fallen asleep," said Ron looking over at Harry who was struggling to complete the transformation of his desk which was growling at him.

"Objectus formarin canis," said Hermoine slowly and deliberately as she tapped her desk. It warped, bent, skewed, and otherwise transfigured itself around until it had formed an almost perfect replica of Flamel.

"Very good," called Victoria from the front of the class. "Everyone transfigure your desks back with a simple 'formarin retarus.'"

As soon as the desks had returned to their original forms Victoria spoke again. "Quite simply, Miss...Hermoine Granger I believe it is, was able to succeed because she took time to visualize her object and how it would have to change in order to become a canine. Now, visualization is key, but if you were in a situation where you needed to transfigure something quickly then visualization isn't practical. During your NEWTs you will be timed on how quickly and effectively you can transfigure the object you are given. The key to doing this transfiguring your object into something simple, before reshaping it into what you'd been asked to create. By using simple objects, you can make complex transfigurations that much more simple."

Throughout the rest of the class, the number of errors steadily dwindled. Hermoine was reprimanded several times for taking far too long and not bothering to use the simple in between steps that Victoria had suggested. Quite surprisingly, by the end of the lesson, it was Neville that had managed to impress Victoria the most by first transforming his desk into a copy of his gran's furry footstool, and then using then continuing to transform it into a dog. It was clear that Neville's confidence had improved from everything that they'd been through, and that this new confidence in himself was improving his abilities with magic.

"Alright everyone, that's it for today. Please return your desks to their normal state, and I expect you all to be able to perform this task in under two minutes by the end of the week," said Victoria with a bit of a grin as she reached down to pat Flamel's head. The golden retriever's tail wagged happily as he rose and followed each of the students from the class, giving Neville an approving lick on the hand, before returning to his master's side.

* * *

"I'd never thought of doing it that way before," commented Ron as he and Harry walked with Hermoine towards the Ancient Runes class room. "I wonder why McGonagall never taught us that trick."

"Because it's a crutch," said Hermoine sourly. "Real, talented, wizards are able to perform transformations like that without any in between steps. Breaking it down like that is the way that beginners do it. Forcing us to do it that way is a rather poor teaching method."

"Maybe she's trying to settle us into it," suggested Harry. "You've got to admit, jumping from a desk to a dog is a big leap. But maybe she's just trying to get us to think about the in between stages automatically. Besides, Neville did extremely well...I think she's trying to make it so that we're all prepared for these tests, not just the few that will get the hang of it naturally."

"Whatever she's doing," said Hermoine still not willing to relinquish her dislike of the new Professor, "I still don't like her methods, at all."

They reached the door to the Lecture Hall where Ancient Runes was taught and Hermoine bid goodbye to the other two. "We'll see you at lunch," said Harry as Hermoine disappeared inside the room.

"Just between the two of us, I think Hermoine's just not used to getting anything but praise in transfiguration and she can't stand the fact that Professor Hawthorn wouldn't let her do things her way," said Ron as he and Harry made their way towards the library. "I mean, that was the reason why she gave up divination, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," agreed Harry. "I don't think she'll give up on transfiguration though. If she did that she'd only be taking five out of eight classes, which means she'd either try to pick up Care of Magical Creatures or Divination...neither of which she likes very much."

"Speaking of Care of Magical Creatures," said Ron, "We should probably give Hagrid a visit this evening. See how he and his 'little' brother are doing."

Harry nodded in agreement. "I've also been thinking that we should get the Quidditch team together and start talking about our training schedule. We may have to hold tryouts as well, I know there's at least a few vacancies that need to be filled."

"Ah, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, I'm glad I found you," it was Professor McGonagall who approached them from behind and placed a gentle hand on either boy's shoulder. "I have a special request of the two of you."

"What is it professor?" asked Harry turning to face the headmistress, and trying to read her expression.

"Well as you know Hagrid is teach care of magical creatures, well I'm afraid that his class of third years is a bit larger than he had at first anticipated and his subject matter is a bit...volatile at best. I noticed that you both have a vacancy in your schedules, from one-thirty to two-thirty, so I suggested to Hagrid that he take you two on as his aides for this class. To which he agreed. I know how close you are to him, so naturally I assumed you'd be alright with this arrangement," McGonagall looked back and forth between the boys who both looked slightly pale at the prospect.

"He's not raising those...blast-ended-screwts again, is he?" asked Ron rather tentatively.

"No, actually I was quite surprised when he informed me what his plans were for this year. I think you might learn a thing or two from the whole affair," she adjusted her spectacles on the bridge of her nose. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to stop by the kitchens and have a word with the cooks."

* * *

Mirai-Gogeta: This story is going to be Canon. Everything should fall right into place and allow for no interruption of the 19-years-later epilogue. However, and I still haven't decided this, I may continue writing once I complete this story and those may or may not be Canon.

Nightwing27: Thanks!

NavyBlueDreamsandKhakithoughts: Hopefully this remains interesting to you! I hope to spice things up a bit in the next chapter.

* * *


	4. DobharChu

A/N: Thanks for sticking with me and continuing to read and review as this story continues forward. I'm nine minutes shy of midnight here, where I'm located so I managed to make the deadline I set for myself, if only just barely. I promise to try and be more prompt in the future. I hope you guys enjoy this.

* * *

"Gather roun', gather roun'," the deep voice of Hagrid called the group of wide-eyed third-years, most of whom were a bit dubious about their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class. The horror stories told by the older students was more than enough to make anyone wonder what was going through Albus Dumbledore's mind when he had allowed Hagrid to take over the position when Professor Grubby-Plank had retired.

They stood in front of Hagrid's cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Fang was sitting nearby, soaking up the early afternoon sunlight. Ron was standing as close to the dog as possible, part of him seeming to hope that Hagrid would forget he was there. Harry however, had been trapped from the start of things. One of Hagrid's large hands had clapped over his shoulder and he had been dragged to stand beside the game-keeper as he began to introduce himself.

"I'm Rubeus Hagrid, that'll be Professor Hagrid," he chuckled slightly, as he always did when referring to himself as a professor. "This'll be yer first Care of Magical Creatures class."

"Now, this year'll be a little different from previous years in that I've got myself two splendid assistants. This'll be Mr. Harry Potter, and that over there next teh Fang is Mr. Ronald Weasely. These two have dealt with plenty of magical creatures; so if you need help and I'm not available then don' be afraid teh ask them."

Hagrid grinned as he looked around at the group students, a mix of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students it seemed. "Alrighty," said Hagrid gleefully. Ron groaned inwardly, if Hagrid was already this excited about the class then that meant the chances of class being dangerous had just gone up about fifty percent. "Your Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor has made a special request... so I'm going to be teaching you about Dobhar-Chu."

Harry raised an eye-brow and looked up at Hagrid's towering form, clearly having never even heard of such a creature. "Thanks to Professor Drake, we've got a pair of them living in the lake right now. They're both quite tame and she said that it would be an excellent opportunity for them to get some extra attention and for you to learn about something you otherwise may not have."

"Now, if you'll all follow me, we can march down to the edge of the lake and I'll teach you how to call them," Hagrid grinned as he turned and began to walk away, finally releasing Harry's shoulder and allowing him to fall into step beside Ron.

"You have any idea what this Dober-what's-it actually is?" whispered Ron.

"Not in the slightest," said Harry. "And you've got to admit, for Hagrid to be excited about it is a bit unnerving."

"Does anyone know the muggle legend about the Dohbar-Chu?" called Hagrid as he lead them along a winding path towards the lake.

"Professor?" a Hufflepuff boy with a clear irish accent spoke up. "I've heard the legend. Me dad told it to me when I was younger."

"Well, why don' you share it with those who don't know. I'm sure Harry and Ron'll want ter know as well," said Hagrid with a bit of a chuckle.

"Well," began the boy. "There's a story about a woman, named Grace, who was washing clothes down in a river one day. Her husband heard her scream and rushed down to the river to help her. When he got there, she was already dead and the Dobhar-Chu was standing over her bloody body. In anger the man attacked and killed it, stabbing it in the heart. As it died, it made a whistling nose, and summoned its mate from the water. It chased the man, but he was able to kill the second one as well."

Hagrid sighed, "see, the trouble with muggles is that they take things for granted." The half-giant had reached the shore of the lake and signaled for the students to stop walking as he proceeded down to the water's edge. "What the man didn't know, is that Dobhar-Chu are actually very affectionate and trusting creatures. Humans aren't they're natural enemy."

He began rummaging around in his pockets for something, leaving the students to watch and wonder what their professor was up to.

"I'd say that Grace woman and her husband would probably beg to differ," muttered Ron to Harry. "Two of them attacked the same guy, and one of them killed his wife."

"That's not true," said a Ravenclaw girl who was standing near Ron. "Only one of them attacked the man, and no one actually saw the first one attack the woman."

"That's exactly right," said Hagrid who had finally located what he was looking for. A small silver whistle, much like one that could be found in a muggle toy-shop. "One thing about Dobhar-Chu is that they are very gullible. Any whistling noise will lure them to the surface, but it takes a bit of coaxing to get them to actually come to land. Watch."

Holding the whistle to his lips, Hagrid blew steadily for several seconds letting the sound draw out and carry across the water. He slipped the whistle back into his coat pocket and stood there, staring out over the water. Several long minutes passed, with nothing happening. The students exchanged looks with each other, some of them clearing their throats loudly in an attempt to gain their professor's attention. However, nothing seemed to break the Game-keeper's vigil over the water.

After about five minutes of this, Hagrid motioned towards the water. "See there, there's one of them." Peeking up amidst the greenish waters of the lake, about fifty yards from the shore, was a sleek white head. Its features were hard to distinguish from that distance, but it appeared to look something like a rather large otter.

"Now, that'll be the male," said Hagrid. "The female will never come to the surface first. She'll only come when she hears her mate's call. Now, I'm going to try and get him to come to the shore so y'all can get a good look at him."

Some of the students shuffled uncomfortably. The muggle story about the woman being killed by the Dobhar-Chu was more than enough to shake their confidence in the safety of these creatures.

"Ron, Harry, come here, I'm going to need yer help," called Hagrid gesturing for the two boys to join him. "Make sure you walk slowly, he's watching us, trying to decide what we're up to." There was no need for him to warn them, as their reluctance had already caused their pace to slow incredibly.

"Now," said Hagrid slowly. "Take this," he pulled a worn out baseball from one of his infinite coat pockets and handed it to Ron. I want you teh stand on the edge of the water, just so that it touches yer feet, and start tossing the ball back and forth. Nothing fancy, just try to relax and have fun with it."

"Hagrid," said Harry slowly. "Are you sure about this? There's no chance that those things are going to eat us?"

"Or grab us by the ankles and drag us screaming into the lake?" asked Ron quickly.

"Of course not," said Hagrid incredulously. "Yeh've been listening to too many muggle stories. Now get over there. This pair was hand raised by Professor Drake 'erself when she was in school here. She'd managed to get permission ter raise them. It was her that inspired my interest in Magical Creatures."

"I wonder if she knew about Aragog," muttered Ron as he and Harry moved down to the water's edge.

"Stand a bit further apart," instructed Hagrid. "That's good, now get a little closer to the water. There, now just start tossing teh ball back an' forth."

Shrugging his shoulders, Ron tossed the ball to Harry who caught it and threw it back. One of the Hufflepuffs spoke up, "Why do you have to do that?" she asked slowly. "It looks awfully boring."

"Muggle Children do it for fun, I believe they call it 'playing catch,'" offered one of the other students.

"Right," said Hagrid. "Dobhar-Chu spend most o' their lives living in lakes near muggles. They get used ter seeing muggle children playing these games on the water's edge and it entices them ter come play too. You see, another name for the Dobhar-Chu is teh King Otter. Just like regular Otters, these little guys enjoy having fun.

"Because these two were raised around magic-folk you could probably play any sort of game here on the shore and that would lure them out, but this was the easiest example. Besides, if you were ever to encounter a Dobhar-Chu in the wild, there's little chance that they've ever come into contact with wizards before.

"Look!" said Hagrid excitedly. "He's gone under the water, so he's probably coming in for a closer look. You two keep going," he gestured to Ron and Harry. "He should come up again in any minute now."

Harry chucked the ball across the gap to Ron, who missed. Catching it barely on the tips of his fingers, he swiped his arm in an attempt to get a better grip on the ball, instead batting it out into the water. It landed with splash and bobbed amongst the vegetation growing in shallows of the lake.

"Well, yeh might want ter go get that," suggested Hagrid gesturing to Ron.

"But why me?" asked Ron incredulously.

"Because you're the one that smacked it into the water," said Harry.

Grumbling, Ron proceed to pull off his socks and shoes. He started out, very slowly, into the icy water trying his best not get any water on his robes or pants. Holding everything up out of the water with one hand, and stretching for the ball with the other, Ron was balanced precariously on the balls of his feet.

With his concentration focused on the ball, he didn't see the movement in the water just a few feet out. Nearly everyone else was so intent on watching Ron's efforts to grab the ball, that kept floating just out of reach, that they didn't seem to notice either. It wasn't until a particularly violent movement beneath the surface caused the water to swell and send Ron sprawling, that anyone saw anything.

Coming up, soaked from head to toe, Ron was gasping more from shock than lack of air. His eyes slowly up turned, to gaze at the animal that now stood over him.

It was large, easily the size of a Shetland pony. Pure white, with thin fur covering its body. It appeared as an otter, with a long lithe body and slender head, with rounded ears. Large eyes stared down at the wet-wizard and it opened its mouth, allowing a perfect view of its sharp white teeth, and let something fall into the water before Ron.

Despite the terror that had seized him, he couldn't help but look down to see what it was. The baseball was bobbing in the water before him. He looked up at the huge furry face and reached out for the ball. Instantly, the creature jumped backwards, stiff legged, long tail wagging in the water, looking something like a large getting ready to play with its master.

Feeling a bit calmer, Ron's hand closed around the baseball. He wrenched back his arm and tossed forward. One large paw came up, connecting with the ball and smacking it back towards Ron. The force behind it was incredible though, and sent Ron diving off to the side to avoid a concussion.

It was at that point that Hagrid stepped in, sounding another note on the whistle and immediately commanding the animal's full attention.

Ron scurried out of the water near Harry, who helped him to his feet, and stood there just watching as the creature lumbered out of the water to sniff at Hagrid, who'd turned his back to it.

"This, as yeh all may have guessed, is a Dobhar-Chu. See the black cross running over his back and shoulders? It's said that the black fur from a Dobhar-Chu has protective properties, that ward off against evil things. Especially demons," said Hagrid as he reached back and stroked the long neck of the Dobhar-Chu.

"This fellow here is named Prince. His mate's name is Lily, and she's back out there in the water. Probably won't get ter see her today," commented Hagrid. "Now, what I want you all ter do is approach slowly. He's just like a big dog. Keep an eye on his tail, his ears, those sorts of things."

The rest of the class was spent with students slowly inching up to Prince, just close enough to touch his fur and then back pedaling. Ron left and trudged back up to the dorms to change his robes before the next class, while Harry remained behind to "help" Hagrid with the rest of the class.

However, Hagrid never seemed more in control of things. It already seemed that Prince was a safe as Hagrid had been insisting. Why then, did they have such a bad reputation in muggle legends?

"What most likely was the case," said Hagrid as one of the students voiced the same question. "The woman was washing her laundry and was attacked by a demon. Now, Dobhar-Chu were originally bred and kept in moats surrounding castles to protect them from demons. They possess incredible power when battle one of those devilish creatures. The presence of the demon near the water, lured the Dobhar-Chu out, but it was probably deep and by the time it got out the woman was dead and the demon was gone. Her husband jumps to conclusions, kills the Dobhar-Chu, and with his dying breath the poor beast calls to his mate." Hagrid actually looked mournful as he told the story.

"When you say demons, Hagrid, what do you mean?" asked Harry stepping towards the game-keeper. He was greeted by Prince's damp nose prodding at his mid-section and snuffling his robes. Harry was startled for moment, until the nose withdrew and the large otter-like creature shuffled off a bit towards the other students.

"Well, I mean demons," said Hagrid. "They're not really my area of expertise, but they're not spiritual creatures like what some muggles think they are. Jewel'd know more about it than me though."

"Why would she know more?" asked Harry.

"Well...because she's your Defense Against Dark Arts instructor," said Hagrid. "An if there ever was a dark creature it'd be a demon. They make dementors look like, like...pygmy puffs!"

A high, but not shrill, whistle echoed over the waters of lake. Prince's head immediately jerked around to look back. Another sleek white head was peering towards the shore from the water. The whistle was repeated, and this time Prince answered it with his own cry. He jerked around, nearly knocking Harry over with his movements and plunged back into the lake. Breaking through the water, he disappeared beneath the surface only moments later.

"Well it looks like the missus called Prince home," said Hagrid with a grin. "And...that'll be the bell for the end of class." The distant echo of the Hogwarts bells rang across the ground.

"You'd all better hurry, it's a long walk back up to the castle and I don't want of of yeh to be late to yer next class," said Hagrid waving the students off.

* * *

"According one legend, Helena Hufflepuff used the black fur from a Dobhar-Chu," said Hermoine sagely as she, Harry, and Ron sat at their desks in the Defense Against Dark Arts class, awaiting the arrival of their new professor. "The story goes that a Dobhar-Chu gave its life while protecting her from a demon and in honor of its memory she took its fur and used it on her cloak."

"Sounds like an odd way to commemorate your savior," said Ron whose hair was still a bit damp from his dip in the lake.

"They're supposed to be extremely clever," said Hermoine brightly. "You two got lucky, there's no telling what else Hagrid might've pulled out."

"What I'm wondering," said Harry absently. "Is why we've never heard of demons before now. I mean, if they're really such terrible creatures then why haven't we been taught defense against them?"

"Because," came a voice that was only slightly reminiscent of the frail woman that had arrived at the Burrow weeks before. They turned in their seats to see a white robed, bright-eyed, red-haired woman standing in the doorway. "The last demon was caught in that encounter with Helena Hufflepuff and was sealed away with rest of its kind."

"Sealed away?" asked Hermoine as Jewel walked to the front of the classroom.

"Yes," said Jewel. "No one completely understands the nature of the seal that was used, or even where they were sealed, it's believed to be a bit of magic that predates the usage of wands in everyday life."

"We'll need to wait up for the Slytherin group," said Jewel as she stood at the front of the class. "I hear that their potions class got a bit out of hand. Something about a corporeal grindylow forming from the essence and wreaking havoc on the dungeons, and students."

"So there are other types of magic?" pressed Hermoine, jumping on the chance to soak up some extra knowledge.

"Yes," said Jewel with a smile directed at Hermoine. "There are several other types. We'll touch on a few this term, but of course, everything taught in this classroom is in reference to the dark arts. If you want to know more about extinct forms of magic then you would be better off directing a question at professor Binns."

Hermoine groaned at the thought of trying to carry on a conversation with the ghostly professor that taught history of magic.

Jewel laughed at Hermoine's reaction. "There are three types of magic currently known to be in use," began the red-head with a soft grin. "Wand magic, potion magic, and creature magic."

"You've already learned how to use wand magic and potion magic," said Jewel. "You know that the two can be intermingled in some instances, and some potions can be used in exchange of wand magic and vice versa.

"Creature magic is self explanatory. This is the magic native to creatures like House Elves, goblins, unicorns, things like that," she said clearly enjoying the chance to pass her knowledge off to someone else. "Now, there are other types of magic that are long extinct. The raw magic, tapping directly into the elements themselves. The knowledge of how to accomplish that was lost ages ago though.

"Now there's also a type of magic called planar magic," she spoke slowly. "That, however, was mostly theory. The ministry heavily experimented in Planar magic several decades ago, but the experiments fell through in when they lost control of the magic and ended up destroying part of ministry's interior, killing several employees, and releasing dementors into the world."

"Wait," said Harry quickly. "Dementors aren't native to our world?"

"No," said Jewel. "They were never meant to be here, but when they were accidentally released during the explosion, the ministry decided to try and make up for their mistake by harnessing this new source of power. The placed the Dementors in charge of Azkaban, which had until that point been in the care of specially trained aurors."

"So," said Hermoine. "There are other planes of existence? Existing at the same time that we do...in the same world...but on another level?"

"In theory," Jewel's answer was drawn out. "As your professor, the ministry would have my hide if I said anything more. It's all still theory, and will probably never advance beyond that point. They've tried very hard to cover up their prior mistakes with Planar Magic, and I don't believe they'd be very pleased if I started openly discussing it with students." She sat on the edge of her desk and folded her hands in her lap.

"And here are my missing Slytherins," she said as a bedraggled group of seventh-year Slytherin's tromped into the classroom. "Hurry and take your seats. We've lost time, so we won't be able to cover everything that I had planned for this first day."

As the students slid into their seats, Harry caught a glimpse of Malfoy. The blonde boy met Harry's eye and instantly averted his eyes. Goyle sat to his left, with noticeable absence of Crabbe. Harry couldn't help but feel a slight clench in his stomach, when he noticed that.

He'd been lucky, his two best friends had made it through the war alive and unharmed. As far as he knew, Crabbe and Goyle had been the closest thing to friends that Malfoy had...whether the blonde boy actually felt anything for his companions was another story.

Pansy Parkinson entered the room shortly after, hanging on the arm of Blaise Zabini. Quite a change from her earlier worship of Malfoy and everything he did. Blaise and Pansy chose seats on the farthest side of the room from Malfoy. There was, Harry noticed, a decided separation between the Seventh year students in the Slytherin house. What the separation was, and why it existed was a mystery in and of itself.

Once everyone had located seats, Jewel spoke up. "I'm Professor Jewel Drake...and on the count of three I'd like you all to cast the first curse you can think of...directly at me. Barring, of course, the unforgivable curses, I hear any one of you utter that and you'll be receiving the worst detention I can possibly think of."

She stood before them, and pulled her wand out and then promptly set it on the desk behind her. "Do not hesitate, take your wands out, and cast smoothly and as fluidly as if you were in combat," said Jewel gesturing for everyone to comply. It took several moments, not everyone quite believing that Jewel was entirely serious.

"One...two...three"

On three, bursts of color shot from the wands of the students and streaked across the room towards their professor. There was one notable shout of "Imperio" from the Slytherin corner of the room, though it was unclear who had actually uttered the curse. No one was paying attention to that though, everyone sitting on the edges of their seats as Jewel unflinchingly stood in the face of the curses. They struck her, nearly simultaneously. All of them crashing against her body and throwing her back over the desk and out of sight of the students.

There were several gasps, the sound of people dropping their wands, and then dead silence as everyone waited to see if their professor would rise again.

"Mr. Jameson, you'll report to my office this evening after dinner...I'll have to speak to the HeadMistress about your use of an unforgivable curse on school premises."

The students all looked around, eyes flickering across the interior of the room, trying to locate the source of their professor's voice. Jewel walked out of her office, adjusting the sleeves of her robe as she went. "Excellent form for the most part, though, Mr. Longbottom I think we can spend a little time outside of class working on your style a bit more." She winked in Neville's direction as she approached her desk and grimaced at the sight behind it.

"Some of you are extremely created with your curses," she said approvingly. "While they're not very damaging they do have a surprising level of effectiveness in overcoming an enemy. Especially one that is a completely unknown variable."

"But...Professor..." Hermoine's voice was the one to break the stunned silence over the classroom. "What was that?"

"It's called a Homunculus," said Jewel with a soft grin. "They're extremely useful, but difficult to create. It takes years of practice and weeks of preparation to successfully create one, but they are immune to most magics. They are, in all essences, a body without a spirit. They are animated through magic, and are imprinted with a bit of the creator's personality. This allows them to function normally for a short period of time. However, they will doubtlessly have inconsistencies in their memories, and such that could lead the careful observer to discover the truth.

"A homunculus is a useful tool for testing out unknown, or unpracticed, spells on a a life-like subject without worry of causing death or pain to anyone. These are not alive, in any way whatsoever, they never were alive, and never will be alive. You must implant these thoughts firmly in your mind. It's when wizards try to create life, or resurrect a spirit to animate a homunculus, that you fall into the most depraved sort of magic imaginable," Jewel took a deep breath and drew her wand from her sleeve.

"This is not going to be a class on how to create a homunculus," said Jewel firmly. "We will simply be using mine, as the subject for our tests."

"Can't a Homunculus die?" asked Neville quietly.

"No," said Jewel. "Since they were never living in the first place, then they cannot die. They do simulate death very well though. A homunculus is created in the form of a human. It's a human body that works exactly the way yours does, life blood pumps, and heart beats, brain sends out relays, but it doesn't think...nor does it possess a spirit, which is decidedly what makes us alive and individual.

"When a homunculs is wounded to the point where a normal human would die, it will cease to function, because it is physically unable to. It can be repaired and will be able to function again once that's complete.

"Now," the professor tapped her wrist with her wand and bit her lip. "We only have a bit of time left...not enough for the actual lesson that I had planned. But I'd like you all to think about what I've told you about Homunculi thus far. Read chapters ten and eleven in your text, that should answer any questions you might have about them. What I really want you to concentrate on though, is key ways to identify a homunculus, and a list of things that homunculi absolutely cannot do.

"I'm not going to put a limit on this first paper, you're all adults and if you can turn a scroll into me and say with confidence that you put your best effort into it, then I'll take you at your word and except your parchment without question," Jewel looked at each other students in turn.

"Mr. Jameson, remember what I said about detention tonight," she said directing her attention to a slytherin boy who was sitting close to Blaise and Pansy. Somewhere within the castle, the bells began to toll the hour. "Alright all of you head off to your next class. I'll be happy to answer any questions later on this evening before dinner. I'll be in the library for a while then. For now, I need to try and right the damage to the homonculus before the next class arrives."

* * *

"Professor Drake?" Harry stood at the end of one of the book stacks in the Hogwarts Library, while Jewel stood about halfway down the row rapidly flipping through the pages of a rather thick old book. At the sound of her name, however, she looked up quickly and grinned when she saw Harry.

"I was wondering when you were going to track me down," she said. "Despite the fact that I was in such a poor state at the time, I do remember the question that you asked back at the Burrow. That's why you've come to see me, isn't it?"

"Well, yes...actually," said Harry. "You were my mum's best-friend right? That's why you named a Dobhar-Chu after her, isn't it?"

"So you've met Lily and Prince then, have you?" said Jewel with a smile.

"Well we saw Lily, she stayed back in the lake. Prince was the one that actually came to shore," said Harry who suddenly looked like he'd realized something. "Prince...was named...for the half-blood prince, wasn't he?"

Jewel gave him a sharp look, "How do you know about that?"

"I found his potions book in my sixth year," said Harry.

"I see..." her expression was mournful. "So much has changed while I was away." Her eyes returned to the pages of the book in her hands, but she wasn't reading. "I'm sorry," she said after a moment, closing the book in her hands and turning towards Harry with a smile. "You wanted to know about your mum. Ask me anything you'd like to know," she said directing him towards a nearby table so they could sit and talk.

"I'm...I'm not sure really," said Harry. "Everything I suppose. I mean, I used to have an idea of what they were like. But when I learned more about my dad I realized that while he wasn't as perfect as I'd thought..."

"You felt better about yourself because you realized that he was human and so are you," finished Jewel. "You understood that your dad made mistakes as well, so when you made them you didn't feel as if you were disappointing him as much...because he'd understand. Am I right?"

Harry nodded. "Everything that I've heard about my mum, is that she was a skilled witch. She was the perfect student, and all the professors loved her. I know, about how she was friends with Professor Snape," Jewel's hand twitched slightly, but she said nothing so Harry continued, "but other than that I know little else."

"Your mother," said Jewel. "Was an extremely kind hearted person. She seemed to have taken it upon herself to look out for those of us that were outcasts for one reason or another. That's why, even though I was a Ravenclaw, we spent nearly every free moment together. At least for a few years.

"She did possess an ugly side," admitted Jewel. "She was not the kind of person you wanted to get into an argument with. She'd hex you quicker than you could respond, and next thing you knew you were under a bat-bogey hex and she wouldn't release the hex until you'd apologized." The memory seemed to bring a smile to Jewel's face. "But, she wasn't cruel. Her hexes, were never intended to harm, and most of the time she was right when it came to an argument."

"Everyone was bit surprised when she began dating James," she continued. "But, then again... James had been proclaiming love for her since their fourth year, and his personality did tend to grow on people after a while." Jewel chuckled, "Your father's personality changed drastically after he began dating Lily. His antics, while still abundant, weren't quite as drastic and attention seeking."

"That was your mother's gift Harry," said Jewel looking into the boy's eyes. "She could tell what people needed the most. For your father it was approval, attention...For Remus it was acceptance, and support. For Sirius it was a sister who wasn't obsessed with the dark arts. For me it was a loyal friend...and for you Harry, it was love." She smiled softly and rose to her feet.

"It's nearly time for dinner and I have a meeting with the other professors," said Jewel. "I hope I answered some of your questions. Suffice to say that there's more about your mother than I could ever be able to tell you in one sitting. She was perfect, and yet she was very human as well. She made mistakes, not every spell was always perfect. Not every potion always came out correctly...and not every choice she made was necessarily the best one."

Jewel patted Harry on the shoulder, "I'll see you in class tomorrow," she said cheerfully as she continued past him and out of sight, leaving Harry with his thoughts.


	5. Tumult

A/N I really need to be more prompt about these updates. With the exception of the first chapter I've been uploading these within minutes of getting them finished. It's me trying to meet the deadline I set for myself. Too bad I'm over an hour late with it. Anyway I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

"No Jewel, I absolutely will not allow it."

"With all due respect Headmistress, I don't believe you can stop me."

"I can and I will. You will be barred from the headmaster's office. Even if I have to personally see to it myself."

"I'll find a way, McGonagal, you know I will."

The exchange took place on a set of stairs near the entrance to the great hall early one morning about three weeks into the term. Jewel was standing serenely at the top of the stairs, arms folded as she looked down at the McGonagall who was standing about five steps down from her. The older witch stared at the red-head with determination burning in her eyes.

"I'll not allow you to put yourself, and the students of this school, in danger through your reckless actions. Now that is the end of the discussion," the headmistress's tone carried an air of finality as she turned and finished her descent of the stairs, shooing off the crowd of students that had gathered at the foot.

"Professor Drake?" called Harry as he approached the stairs with Ron close behind. The pair of them, like the others that had witnessed the argument, had been on their way towards breakfast. "Is everything alright?" he asked looking up at her as she slowly descended.

As her feet touched the floor she looked over at him with a soft smile, "Everything is fine Harry, the Headmistress and I simply had a disagreement about something. It's nothing for you to worry about." Without another word she continued into the hall, moving past everyone and taking her place at the staff table.

A few moments later Harry and Ron took their places at the Gryffindor table with Hermoine and Ginny. "McGonagall and Jewel were having a right fine argument out in the hall just a few minutes ago," said Ron as he greeted his girlfriend with a gentle kiss.

"Another one?" asked Ginny quizzically as she reached for a biscuit.

"There's been more than one?" Harry looked perplexed.

"Well yesterday, just as defense was ending, McGonagall came into the class room holding a parchment in one hand and asked Jewel if she could speak to her immediately. So they went into Jewel's office and shut the door. A moment later we heard Jewel shouting. We all gathered out things and got out of the room as quickly as possible," explained Ginny.

"Did you hear what they said?" asked Harry as he glanced towards the staff table where McGonagall was having a whispered conversation with Professors Flitwick and Hawthorn.

"Not very much," said Ginny. "The walls are awfully thick, and all I heard was Jewel's shout of 'you don't realize how important this is to me.' After that there was a buzzing in my ears until I got out of the classroom."

"Muffliato," said Hermoine referring to a spell that Harry had learned from the half-blood prince's potions book. Harry nodded in agreement. "It would make sense that Jewel'd know it. You don't just name a pet after a passing acquaintance," continued Hermoine.

"Yes, but that's beside the point," said Harry. "What are all these arguments about?"

"I was out in the greenhouse last week working on some extra credit assignments," said Neville who had been sitting nearby listening to the conversation. "I heard professor Drake outside talking to herself and pacing back and forth. She seemed quite out of her head, but I kept quiet and hoped that she wouldn't realize I was there."

"How was she out of her head, Neville?" Harry was pursuing these questions with intensity. He seemed quite determined to find the answer to what was going on with the strange woman who had been his mum's best friend.

"Well she seemed to be laying out a plan, I can't remember exactly what she said. Something like 'knowing him, that's exactly what he'd do. Finding out would be simple...' and then she said a few more things, and something about a pevensie I think, whatever that is, and then 'McGonagall will never agree.' There was more, she went on for a great long while, but I sort of just stopped listening for a while and went back to my project," said Neville looking at Harry and furrowing his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, if I'd known it was important I'd have tried to listen more."

"It's alright Neville, thanks," said Harry rising from his seat. "We'll see you in class later on."

Hermoine, Ron, and Ginny quickly rose and followed after Harry as he left the hall and headed back towards the Gryffindor Common room. "Harry wait up, why'd you leave so quickly?" called Ginny finally catching up to him.

"Jewel wants to use the pensieve in McGonagal's office," said Harry. "She wants to look through Dumbledore's memories."

"I don't think they'd still be in there, afterall there's a new headmaster now," said Hermoine as they continued walking.

"Yes," said Harry. "But Dumbledore was alive for a long time. The memories that he'd gathered would've been a wealth of knowledge to anyone. Then there's also the memories that he gathered while we were looking for the Horcruxes. Just throwing them away would be a waste."

"I'm not saying they were thrown away," explained Hermoine. "They've probably been locked up though. I mean, you told us about how you accidentally fell into one of Dumbledore's memories when he left you in his office one day. You don't think that they would just be left out for anyone to go through?"

"It doesn't change the fact that that's what she wants to do," said Harry as they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Pineapple Raindrops," said Ron to the portrait.

"Listen," said the Fat Lady. "I'm going to be changing the passwords up. With that old hat back here it won't be long before the house raids start up again."

"What old hat?" asked Ginny. "Who're you talking about? And what house raids?"

"It's always bad business when former students of THAT generation come back to roost," said the Fat Lady rather contemptuously. "So much went wrong when they were at school.

"The house raids took place a while back; when that lot were still fourth years. It was a mess. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw, no house was safe from the villains. All the evidence pointed to Ravenclaw house, and none other than that girl that followed those Gryffindor rascals around like a lost puppy. Best friends with a slytherin boy, and rumor has it she was friendly with a couple of Hufflepuffs as well," explained the fat lady folding her arms across her ample bosom. "And her wand was found at the scene of at least two different crimes, and countless students admitted to seeing her fleeing down the halls in the aftermath of one of her escapades."

"You're talking about Jewel, aren't you?" said Harry almost incredulously.

"Is that her name?" the fat lady huffed.

"Please, just tell us what you were going to say about the passwords," said Hermoine heading off an argument.

"The password will change daily," said the fat lady. "It'll be ridiculously easy so even that one Forgetful child will be able to remember it. The house elves will personally deliver the new password to your rooms every morning."

"Okay thank you," said Ron clapping a hand on Hermoine's shoulder before she could say anything about infringements on the house elves' rights. "Now could you please let us in? We need to get our books now or we'll be late for class."

* * *

"I don't see why this has gotten you so worked up," said Ron as he and Harry made their way down towards Hagrid's cabin after lunch that afternoon.

"She was my mum's best friend Ron," said Harry. "Almost every single friend that my parents had is now dead. Including the man that betrayed them to their deaths. If anything happens to Jewel than that's it. I've completely lost my link to my parents."

Ron lapsed into silence, as they continued down the path, falling into step behind the students on their way to their Magical Creatures class. They were chatting happily, all of them highly enjoying this class. Hagrid had surprised everyone by switching back and forth between playing with the Dhobar-Chu (the students had quickly warmed up to Prince), and learning about how to care for any number of common magical creatures. He seemed to be highly happy about something, and that had taken away his dangerous love for giant and deadly monsters.

An unearthly howl split through the air, followed by a sharp cracking noise that echoed against the hills. "What the blood hell was that?" whimpered Ron as the students froze in step.

"It came from the lake," said Harry turning his head abruptly towards the lake. "C'mon Ron. The rest of you go to Hagrid's cabin and stay there." Grabbing Ron's sleeve he tugged his friend through the students and then broke into a run the rest of the way down the path.

"Why is it that when most people are running away, we're running the opposite direction!?" shouted Ron as he ran after Harry who had already drawn his wand. Reluctantly, the Weasley boy followed suit.

They were running towards the lake, cutting across country and not taking time to follow any set path. A sharp whistle pierced their ears, followed by a shout that sounded eerily like Hagrid. Upon hearing this, Harry dug his toes in even more trying to increase his speed, wishing that he had a broom.

The came in sight of the lake shore and came immediately to a stop; not quite understanding the sight before them. Hagrid was standing on the shore, his umbrella pointed threateningly towards the sky as he danced around as if trying to locate something. Prince was standing on the shore, hackles raised, growling at the sky viciously.

"Hagrid!?" shouted Harry beginning to walk towards him.

The half-giant jumped visibly at the sound of the boy's voice. "Oh Harry! I'm glad it's you. I'll need you and Ron ter help me. I'm afraid something terrible's happened." Hagrid lowered his umbrella and promptly began walking back towards Prince. By now the creature had stopped growling and was turning rapidly, moving along the shore and out of sight behind a small hillock.

"What's going on? What was all that noise?" called Harry as he and Ron moved quickly to catch up with Hagrid. "We sent the students to your cabin to wait..." Harry's voice trailed off as they reached the shore and rounded the hillock.

Laying half in the water, half out, was Lily. Slightly smaller than Prince, the only real difference between her and her mate was a small black diamond in the middle of her forehead. Only now the white of her fur was stained with blood. It splattered the rocks around her, forming little puddles and running into the water. She was laying on her side, curled around a man whom Harry didn't recognize, but he appeared quite bloodied up as well. Several large gashes covered his face and hands.

"What happened?" asked Ron who was incredibly wide eyed at the scene before him. Even after being dumped into the water by Prince at the start, he'd grown rather fond of the pair of otter-like creatures and their antics.

"She was attacked," said Hagrid as he gingerly lifted the man out from between Lily's paws. "So was this fella here, one of the ministry aurors, and she was trying to protect him."

"She's still alive, but only barely," said Hagrid with a hurried tone. "I'll have to carry this auror up to the infirmary." He looked over his shoulder at Lily. Prince was nuzzling his wounded mate, staining his own fur with her blood. "Harry, you stay with Lily and Prince, it'll help keep him calm to have a human around. Ron you run and find Jewel. She should know what to do. Hurry up get going."

Ron, turned on his heel and tore off towards the castle as fast as his legs could carry him. Hagrid followed behind at a slower pace with the auror cradled in his big arms. Harry turned towards Lily and Prince, moving towards the pair of Dhobar-Chu.

Prince looked at Harry, nudging the boy's shoulder as he drew near. Kneeling beside Lily, Harry slowly extended his hand, gently stroking her unbloodied muzzle. Soft brown eyes opened part way, staring up at Harry with complete trust. She summoned the strength to wag her tail slightly, sending little droplets of water into the air to splash gently against Harry's skin.

He couldn't explain it, the connection he felt to the wounded animal before him, but there was part of him that was sure he would be completely devastated if she died. Moving around so that he was sitting beside her, Harry drew Lily's head into his lap, wrapping an arm gently around her and stoking her cheek. Prince moved to lay with his body curled around Harry and his head resting in the boy's lap, just inches from Lily's.

And so it was that Harry and the two Dhobar-Chu sat and waited for help to come.

* * *

"Harry where have you been?" said Hermoine turning in her seat as Harry entered the class room. "Ron told me what happened. Is she going to be alright?"

"I had to go get changed," said Harry as he shuffled over to his desk and dropped heavily into his seat. "And no one knows for sure if she'll live or die. Jewel and McGonagall both came down to the lake, and when Jewel saw what had happened she nearly went to pieces. I couldn't tell whether she was angry or sad or what, but she took Lily to Hagrid's cabin, Prince was following right behind. Poor bloke is completely miserable."

"Do you know what attacked her?" asked Ron who was perched on the front of Hermoine's desk.

"No," said Harry. "No one would say what it was, though it's obvious that they all knew. They wouldn't tell me anything though. When I asked, McGonagall told me that I needed to go get changed and not to think that this incident would cause Defense class to be cancelled."

"Here come the Slytherins," whispered Ron as Blaise marched into the classroom at the head of his half of the house. Several moments later, Malfoy slunk into the room, not at the head of the group but somewhere in the middle. He took his seat, glancing slightly over his shoulder towards Harry, and then snapping his attention back to the front of the room as he heard Pansy's unmistakeable laugh.

"You've got to wonder what's happened to throw off the balance of power," commented Ron in a low whisper. "It's strange to see Malfoy hunker down like that. It's almost like he's afraid of Zabini."

"Remember Ron," said Hermoine in the same hushed tone. "Malfoy's family was very much allied with the dark lord before he fell, and everyone knew it. Blaise's family was extremely non-partisan throughout the whole affair. The Malfoy's lost quite a bit of credibility when the dark lord was defeated because now there was no one to stop the ministry for punishing them for their deeds. Now that Draco's back at school it's clear that Blaise has taken advantage of the lack of faith in the Malfoy name."

"Now all that remains to be seen is whether or not that's a bad thing," muttered Harry.

"Alright students, everyone into your seats, quickly, quickly," McGonagall's voice came from the doorway as she swept into the classroom and towards the desk at the front of the room. "As some of you already know, and emergency has come up and Professor Drake is currently unable to teach your classes. I will only be filling in for this one class. After today, and until Professor Drake is again able to teach, you're classes will be centered around weekly tests that will be reviewed by all of the staff. At the beginning of the week you will be given a several chapters to read in your text and at the end of the week you will each be given a scenario that draws from what you were to have read. You will be graded based on how well you answer the scenario question."

McGonagall took a deep breath and as she observed the class before her. "Today, I'd like to take an in depth look at dragons," she said as she flicked her wand towards the chalkboard behind her. A piece of chalk levitated up and hovered in the air awaiting further instruction.

"If you would all please tell me three effective ways to get away from a dragon," she instructed.

Hermoine's hand shot into the air, but McGonagall gestured to the row behind her. "Mr. Longbottom?" she queried.

"Well, I s'pose... a conjunctivitis curse would work," he said slightly unsure of himself.

"Yes," said McGongall with a smile as she motioned her wand towards the chalk and the answer was written across the board in her own delicate hand. "Dragons rely very much on their senses of sight and smell," she explained as the word was completed and the chalk once again stopped to hover before the board. "Damage either one of those senses and you raise your chances of escape by P.

Now, what's another one?"

Again Hermoine's hand rose, and this time she was rewarded. "Miss Granger?"

"A veela trance can cause them to sleep," replied Hermoine brightly.

"That is true, but unfortunately is only effective if you have veela blood," said McGonagall. "Since, as far as I'm aware, none of you have such parentage then I would say that that would be a highly ineffective way of getting away from a dragon."

"Flying," piped up Malfoy answering a question for the first time since the beginning to the term.

"Flying, as many of you know, has in fact been proven as an effective means of escaping a dragon," said McGonagall, she gestured towards the board again and the chalk scrawled the word 'flying' across the board. "However, bare in mind that you'll have to do quite a bit of quick broom-work in order to accomplish the task without any outside help."

"What about transfiguration?" asked Ron who seemed to be catching on to what people were drawing their answers from.

"In what way?" asked McGonagall. "Transfiguring the dragon itself is possible, but not plausible as it would take far too long and too much concentration, and when you're about to be eaten you wouldn't have the time I'm afraid."

"Well no," said Ron sheepishly. "I mean... like what Cedric Diggory did at the Triwizard Tournament. Transfigured a rock into a dog and used that to distract the dragon."

"Yes," agreed the professor. "That would indeed work. You might remember though that the dragon lost interest in the dog after a while." She flicked her wand towards the board and continued talking as the chalk set to work. "So I would suggest pairing the transfiguration with the flying. Which would give you time to get quickly away, but if you're unable to do that then the two are still viable solutions on their own."

McGonagall paused in her instruction and glanced at the three words on the board as she summed up the next part of the lesson in her mind.

"Professor?" came Hermoine's voice, bearing the tone she always used when she was about to ask a difficult question. "What was it that attacked the Dobhar-Chu, down at the lake?"

McGonagall's gaze swept the classroom. Apparently most of them had already heard about the mysterious attack and the creature that had been left gravely wounded. "I'm afraid that we're not entirely sure," she answered at last. "Until the auror in the infirmary regains consciousness then we won't have any solid answers. He's going to be transported to St. Mungo's in the morning, and hopefully he'll be fully recovered soon. Until then we can only speculate."

"What do you believe attacked the Dobhar-Chu?" said Hermoine, rephrasing her question.

"There are few creatures that would attack an animal such as the Dobhar-Chu," said McGonagall. "They're docile most of the time, but they're highly aggressive when attacking or defending. The only thing that has ever been reported to attack a Dobhar-Chu is a demon."

* * *

"I thought that the demons were all sealed away," said Ron as he and Harry sat in the library with Hermoine. "That's what professor Drake said."

"I've been trying to find references to the demons, and so far there's just a lot of stories about attacks. I found one article mentioning Helena Hufflepuff's cloak, but other than that I haven't been able to find anything about how exactly the demons were sealed away, and where exactly they were sent to."

"You know," said Harry looking up at his friends. "Something told me that there was no way we'd ever be able to have a normal year at Hogwarts."

"Well Harry..." Hermoine began speaking but her voice trailed off.

"Think about it this way mate," said Ron. "You're whole life nothing's been exactly normal, now has it? Now think, what is normal? It's all relative really. For you, normal is things constantly happening. Problems needing solved, people needing help, things of that sort. You told me once that you loved Hogwarts because until you came here you'd never felt at home anywhere.

"Now think about what happened our first year? We faced a three-headed dog, and tromped through secret passages, played a deadly game of wizard's chess, and you faced the dark lord himself. That was eight years ago and you still told me you loved Hogwarts cuz you feel at home here.

"You were meant to be in the thick of things, now get over it," said Ron with a bit of an incredulous look on his face...one that Harry had a hard time deciding if the Weasley boy was serious or joking. There was a long moment where they just stared at each other and then finally started laughing.

Hermoine had said nothing and was sitting there rather open mouthed and unbelieving.

"What's the matter with you?" asked Ron shrugging his shoulders.

"I believe that little speech was probably one of the most intelligent things you've ever said," commented Hermoine.

"My brother's being intelligent?" came Ginny's voice as she approached their table and greeted Harry with a kiss. "Don't praise him too much Hermoine, it'll go to his head and then you'll never get a repeat of that rare phenomenon."

"Ginny just keep your mouth shut why don't you?" muttered Ron glaring over at his sister who was giggling slightly at his reaction.

"Hey Potter?"

The call came from behind Harry amongst the rows of books. He turned slightly in his chair, everyone else following his gaze as he tried to locate the speaker. Barely visible amongst the books was Malfoy. He held a finger to his lips and gestured for Harry to come quietly and alone.

Harry looked back at his friends. "I don't think you should trust him," grumbled Ron.

"He's not going to try anything," said Hermoine. "He's let us see him as well. If you go missing, or if anything happens to you while you're with him, we'll know who it was."

"Potter will you please hurry up?" Malfoy's voice came a bit louder, but still in the realm of a whisper.

"Alright, alright," said Harry rising and squeezing Ginny's shoulder as he left the table and made his way towards the row where Malfoy was located, glancing over his shoulder to see if anyone other than his friends were watching, before joining the Slytherin boy.

Draco said nothing but turned and weaved his way farther back amongst the books. Harry got the distinct impression that the other boy was trying his best to locate a place where they couldn't be easily overheard.

"Now listen Potter," said Malfoy as soon as they'd reached one of the farthest corners of the library. "I'm only doing this because I still owe you. Sure my mother may have saved your life, but I don't count my debts paid unless I pay them myself."

There was still the hint of disdain in Draco's words as he spoke to Harry, but the utter hatred was gone, and the high and mighty superiority. Harry had to admit that the aftermath of the war had probably been harder on Malfoy than it had been on him. True, his family had chosen that path but the blonde boy before him hadn't and still had to carry his father's reputation and the dark lord's mark on his arm.

"What are you talking about Malfoy? If you've got something to tell me then just get it over with," Harry matched the disdain in the boy's voice, but it wasn't plain rivalry like it had been before.

"Something's up tonight, and I suggest that none of you Gryffindor's go to bed tonight," said Draco smoothly. "Better yet, all the sixth and seventh years should camp out in your common room."

"What are you playing at? If this has something to do with your little Slytherin faction rivalry then I'm not going along with it," replied Harry stubbornly folding his arms.

"Damnit Potter," said Draco in frustration. "You're making this much more difficult than it needs to be. Don't worry about what's going on in Slytherin, that has nothing to do with you. I'm trying to warn you about something, now either take the advice or leave it. I've told you what I came here to say." The other boy turned on his heel and promptly made his way back out leaving Harry to find his own way back to his friends.

* * *

"What makes you think you can trust Malfoy?" growled Ron as he and the others lounged around the Gryffindor Common room.

"Harry saved his life," said Hermoine. "He may be a Slytherin but it seems he at least has some honor."

"Or, he's just lying and he's planning something," said Ron.

"How can that be?" asked Ginny, "He doesn't even know where the Gryffindor common room is."

"But then again, we know where the Slytherin Common room is, and the Ravenclaw common room, it wouldn't be that hard to figure out," said Harry.

"Yes, but that could be said for any number of people," said Hermoine. "What will it hurt if we just do what Malfoy suggested?"

"Nothing I suppose," said Harry. "But we're not telling the others that this was Malfoy's idea. They'd never agree to it if they knew that a Slytherin had come up with this, and was extremely vague about what exactly was going on."

* * *

Several hours later found Harry, Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean creeping down the stairs with the sixth year boys. They'd had to wait until Madam Hooch had paced the floor for her customary hour fifty-three minutes and forty seven seconds in order ensure that everyone was in their beds asleep and that there would be no galavanting about the common room all hours of the night.

The reached the common room, and Harry dispersed them around the perimeter, mostly facing the portrait hole and the middle of the room. Hermoine followed by Lavender, Parvati, and Ginny, then the rest of the girls, noiselessly joined the boys and received their positions. Harry station Parvati at the window, looking out just in case whatever happened came from outside the castle, instead of the inside.

The hours ticked by. Several students began to nod off, a few started snoring, and Harry couldn't blame them. It was nearly three in the morning, and he was starting to become tired and angry. Malfoy had indeed lied to him. Nothing was going to happen.

Just as he was about to send the others back to bed, the portrait swung open. The distinct creaking noise had all nearly all of the restless sleepers wide awake and peering around. A small figure wandered into the room, barely visible as it was silhouetted against the doorway. It was barely a foot tall, and...fluffy?

"A teddy bear?" mumbled Harry in confusion as it walked into the center of the room and stoof perfectly still. What on earth was going on?

"It's a trap!" shouted Ginny breaking from her cover along with everyone else just as the bear exploded. The explosion itself was harmless, but there was a strange fume wafting up into the air.

Harry's eyes stung as he tried desperately told hold his breath. He'd already breathed a tiny bit, the acrid taste burned at his throat and lungs, forcing him to cough in an effort to expel it, and in the process inhaling more of the fumes.

His senses were reeling, he couldn't see very well, his hearing was muffled, as he stumbled forward. He thought he heard someone fall... over there, was that Nevill sprawled at the foot of the stairs? He staggered forward, tripped and went down.

Hitting the floor hard, Harry gasped for breath once again inhaling the noxious gas. He struggled to regain an upright position, but all the strength was gone from his limbs. He was prone upon the floor, completely unable to move, and consciousness was beginning to fade.

It was only a moment later and he remembered nothing.

* * *

Mirai-Gogeta: Ooh! I hadn't even thought about that. Hehe, that'll make a perfect plot device later on. Anyway, to answer your question (now that I've thought about it, lol) in this fic, the magic that Lily Potter used to save Harry was indeed planar. There'll definitely be more on that in future chapters.


	6. Demon Revealed

A/N Sorry for the lateness of this update! I've got a second chapter well underway in an effort to make up for my laziness these past two weeks. I hope you all enjoy and keep reading!

* * *

Mid-Morning of the next day

"Oh, oh, Poppy! Poppy here, over here!" McGonagall's voice was frantic as she gestured for the medical witch to come as quickly as possible. "Potter's opened his eyes," explained the headmistress as she gestured to the form of the boy lying on the bed before her. His skin was ashen, his eyes dull, and his breathing very slow. He seemed incoherent of his surroundings, those half opened eyes just staring straight towards the ceiling with no comprehension of what they saw.

Poppy Pomfrey placed a gentle hand on Harry's forehead, and shook her head slowly. "I'm afraid there's still no change in the rest of his condition," she said knitting her brow and looking over at McGonagall. "And I'm afraid I've no idea how to treat his condition," she bit her lip as her gaze swept over the various other beds in the hospital wing. The other Gryffindor's that had been caught in the gas all lay in a similar condition.

"This really is quite outrageous," stated Madame Hooch as she paced the floor between the students of her house. "And no reason for it whatsoever," she continued. "I could've understood if, perhaps, there was a quidditch match that involved these students. But the opening quidditch game is tomorrow night between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff." The new Gryffidor Head of house folded her arms and took a deep breath.

"The other question is why they were out of their beds in the first place," said Poppy. "True enough, had it just been Potter and his close friends then I shouldn't wonder at it at all. But all of the sixth and seventh year students were out of bed. Not one of them didn't have their wand out, but none of those seem to have cast anything other than spells from yesterday's lessons. And there were no signs of battle, or forced entry, and the portrait was closed again as if nothing had happened."

"Of course the inside of the common room will speak differently to that," said Madame Hooch. "The house elves are still busily cleaning that up."

"Malfoy..." Harry croaked and all three women jumped, before flocking around his bed and listening to him intently. He still appeared unchanged, save that his lips were partially opened now.

"What was that Potter?" coaxed McGonagall. "What about Mr. Malfoy?"

"...warned...us..." Harry's breath was becoming more shallow and rapid. Poppy was hastily moving to check his vital signs and locate some potions.

"What did he warn you of?" this time it was Madame Hooch who stepped in and directed the line of questions.

"...just warned us..." His eyes fell shut and his body began shivering intensely, before being overwhelmed with a series of minor convulsions that twitched across his frame.

"Alright, back up, back up," said Madame Pomfrey, shooing the other witches away as she set to work to try and stabilize Harry's condition.

"That seems quite outlandish," said Madame Hooch as she and McGonagall stood in the middle of the hospital wing and watched the medical witch from a safe distance. "A slytherin warning a gryffindor?"

"Well you have to remember the changes that have taken place due to the war," said the headmistress with something of a somber expression. "There's been a marked change in the slytherin house, one which I can't quite understand yet. For some reason however, I don't find it all that unbelievable that Draco Malfoy would warn Potter."

"Then the next step is obvious," said Hooch putting her hands on her hips.

"No, I'm afraid that directly questioning Malfoy would serve only to drive the attacker farther away. I want a meeting with the heads of house this afternoon during the lunch hour," said McGonagall. "We need to find out exactly what is going on here."

* * *

A low mournful whistle echoed across the sky outside of Hogwarts as Prince lay curled up outside of Hagrid's cabin. His back was against the door, his face towards the rest of the world as he dutifully awaited his mate's return.

Within the cabin, however, life was a different story. Lily's body was lain across the table. Jewel, her white sleeves covered in the beautiful creature's blood, had worked throughout the night. Exhaustion was evident on her face, along with a clear streak of uncertainty. She drew a shuddering breath as she allowed herself to drop into one of Hagrid's overly large chairs.

The beautiful white Dobhar-Chu lay very still, so still that she could almost have been dead. There was only a very slight movement in her sides that gave evidence to the fact that she still lived. The wounds across her body had been cleansed and closed...but, had it truly been a demon that had attacked, then there was a deeper battle raging within the animal's body.

The physical wounds were healed, but the demon's taint was working its way through the Dobhar-Chu. One of the strangest types of magic. Part planar, and part creature, it was pure darkness. Should it win the battle against the creature's mind, then upon it's waking, Jewel would have no other choice than to kill it. At that point it would've ceased to be the pet that she had raised and loved for so long. At that point, it would've become something that would never again be safe. A vicious and blood-thirsty creature with no other purpose than to end all life that it came across.

It was that moment for which Jewel now waited. The agony of waiting, of not knowing what would happen when Lily's eyes flickered open. Would she still be the same? Or would she have been changed beyond recognition?

Most people in such a situation would have tied, caged, or restrained the creature in one way or another, that way there would be some protection should the worst indeed happen. Jewel, however, could not bring herself to it. The waiting itself was painful enough, but caging this creature that had never known restraint of any kind was beyond her will.

One hand clutching tightly around her wand, the other grasping the arm of the chair, she watched and waited...so deeply afraid of what might happen.

* * *

"I have to admit that the whole thing is uncannily similar," said Professor Flitwick as he sat with the other heads of house in McGonagall's office. "I just find it difficult to believe that it would ever happen again."

"I'm not saying that that is, in fact, what is happening here," said McGonagall as she looked to each of her heads of house. "I want to know what each of you have to say about this."

"It was things like this that caused me to retire in the first place," stated Slughorn with a deep breath. "Though I suppose that really isn't an option for me at the moment."

"Indeed not," said McGonagall. "The last thing I need right now is to search for another head of house. What I do need at the moment, are people that I can trust." She looked to each of them. "You've all proven yourselves as loyal to Hogwarts and its students over the many years that you've served here. I need your support now more than ever."

"The way I see it," said Professor Sprout, "is that we need to readdress all of the facts that were present during the last instance, and compare them to this current event. That should help to narrow things down quite a bit."

"I believe," said the headmistress. "That this may be as good a time as any to make use of the former headmaster's pensieve, and the memories he had procured over the years." She rose from her seat at the table and crossed to a cupboard that was sealed shut. Tapping it three times with her wand, she muttered something incoherent to the others in the room and the cabinet shuddered before slowly allowing its doors to swing open.

There were rows of jars, with swirling silver masses inside of each. A label across the front was clearly written in McGonagall's hand. She selected a jar, before stepping back and flicking her wand towards the cabinet. It once again shut and sealed itself.

"After my appointment to headmistress I went through and catalogued the memories acquired by Dumbledore. Then I took the precaution of locking them up," McGonagall looked at the jar in her hand. "These are memories of his immediate arrival upon the scene of each of the ruined houses. Who was present, what damage was done, how entry was achieved, all of that is here...within these memories. Perhaps if we peruse them, we can achieve a better understanding of what happened all those years ago, and perhaps we can track down a perpetrator for these current crimes."

* * *

Mid-night the hospital wing

Hurried footsteps echoed through the room, followed by a sudden crash as the hastily departing figure collided with a table full of items. The uproar of sound instantly caught the attention of the medical witch who was racing from her office with a lighted wand leading the way. Eyes wide, she took in the entire wing, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

Her eyes landed on the upset table, but the guilty party was no where in sight. Turning a watchful eye towards the beds of her patients, Poppy Pomfrey was instantly afraid for their health. Swift movement, brought her to the nearest bed containing the form of Seamus Finnigan. Her hand brushed the boy's forehead, and instantly withdrew it. He was burning up, quick examinations of the others revealed similar fevers, accompanied by a series of body trembling chills.

As the exasperated medical witch rushed back and forth between their beds, administering potions as quickly as possible, one by one they all sat up wide eyed and gasping for breath.

"Where am I?" groaned the voice of Lavender Brown.

"That bear, it was a trap," murmured the voice of Ginny Weasley.

"Malfoy warned us," said Harry. "Warned us...could he have tricked us?"

Slightly bewildered, Poppy retreated to her office. Glancing up at one of the portraits on her office wall, she sent its occupant running off to summon the headmistress.

Several moments later, McGonagall flew into the hospital wing with Madame Hooch close behind her. "Poppy, what on earth is happening?"

"I have no idea," said the exasperated woman looking at each of the students who now appeared completely fine and were talking amongst themselves, trying to determine what exactly had happened to them. "There was a banging noise and that's what woke me," she explained gesturing towards the upset table. "Something had crashed into that table. Then when I checked the students they'd all come down with fevers and chills and, before I could do anything effective about it, they all sat up as if just having woke from a nightmare."

"We'll have to double-check them," said McGonagall as she turned her attention from the table towards the students. "Look for any lingering symptoms." Madame Pomfrey nodded her head in agreement and headed off, bustling the students back into their beds as she began her examinations.

"This certainly wasn't among the events that happened before," commented Madame Hooch glancing over at the headmistress.

"I know," said McGonagall pinching the bridge of her nose and taking a deep breath. "And that worries me even more."

* * *

The ceiling of he great hall was overcast. Dark gray clouds boiled angrily overhead as the students of Hogwarts slowly ate their breakfasts. The sporadic flashes of lightening only seemed to add to the haunting and dismal mood that hung over the room.

"It was the strangest thing," said Harry as he sat at the Gryffindor table with the rest of the victims of the attack.

"Not exactly what you were expecting, was it Harry?" commented Dean reaching for an apple and settling back into his seat.

"It was probably Malfoy," said Ron. "It would be just like that git to try and warn us, and then attack us."

"So it was Malfoy that gave you the warning?" said Lavender slowly looking over at Harry.

"A Slytherin gave you a warning and you took it seriously?" one of the sixth year boys sounded absolutely incredulous.

"I say Harry, that's an odd turn, even for you," said Dean.

"Now just hold on everyone," said Hermoine attempting to deliver peace. "Harry saved Malfoy's life during the deatheater's final assault on Hogwarts. Malfoy owes Harry a favor."

"Thanks Ron," muttered Ginny elbowing her brother in the side.

"Since when does a Slytherin care about honor?" pointed out Lavender.

"Not all Slytherin's are evil," said Neville suddenly. "I mean, look at Professor Slughorn, and Professor Hawthorne."

"Yes, but Malfoy has a history of being untrustworthy," said Dean.

"But Harry doesn't," said Hermoine. "If Harry believed Malfoy then it isn't his fault that we were caught in the attack."

"I know it wasn't his fault, but he should've known better than to trust a Malfoy."

"Listen," said Harry. "We shouldn't all jump to conclusions. Remember, we've been unconscious for the past day or so. That means whoever did this had more than enough time to cover their tracks. So we're going to have to start from scratch.

"We need to find out where Malfoy was. If he has an alibi for the time of the attack then we're going to have to turn out attention elsewhere. Besides, there's also the fact that the portrait swung open, it wasn't forced. Which means that whoever did it knew the password, they also must've known that the Fat Lady was planning on changing the passwords, and that's why they decided to attack that very night."

"Quickly," said Hermoine. "What does anyone else remember from that night?"

"Well, the portrait opened without force," began Patil. "Then the teddy bear wandered through, and I remembered hearing Ginny shout out that it was a trap. Then the bear exploded and after that I don't remember anything else."

"Ginny?" Harry glanced over at his girlfriend. "Why did you shout?"

"There was someone by the door," said Ginny slowly. "I remember seeing their shadow as the portrait swung open. They set the bear down and then set it to walking. I would've shouted sooner but they looked right at me, locked eyes with me, and I felt...frozen. I couldn't move...they had to let me go in order to cast the spell to blow up the bear, so that was the soonest I could warn everyone."

"Who was it? Did you see anything about them that might give away who it was?" pressed Hermoine.

"No, except that...their eyes seemed to laugh," Ginny knit her brow as she looked at each of the others.

Harry leaned forward on one elbow, supporting his head with his hand and glanced towards the staff table at the front of the room. Everyone seemed to be possessed of a relative calm...all save for Hagrid and Jewel who were both decidedly absent. "Oh," said Harry lifting his head. "Has anyone heard anything about the Dobhar-Chu?"

The others all shook their heads, and Harry had just about made up his mind to try and get down to Hagrid's cabin before potions started, when the heavy doors to the great hall were suddenly thrown completely open. Everyone jumped in their seats and turned quickly to see who it was that had caused such a disturbance.

Hagrid was drenched with rain from head to toe. It streamed off his great form and puddled across the floor. He was splattered with mud, and breathing heavily as a sure sign that he'd run a great distance. He paused in the doorway, gasping for breath as McGonagall and the rest of the professors rose from their seats and flew towards him with worry written across all of their faces.

"Hagrid, what on earth has happened?" asked McGonagall as she drew near.

"Oh headmistress," Hagrid gulped for air. "it's absolutely awful...it attacked again, this time I saw it. As real as could be, right there before the cabin, aimin' ter attack Prince I figure, and finish what it started on Lily."

McGonagall's face blanched as she placed a hand on Hagrid's back and directed him towards her office, glancing over her shoulder and nodding towards Professor Flitwick.

The diminutive little professor gulped and turned to address the great hall. Holding his wand to his throat and employing a sonorous spell so that everyone could hear him, he spoke, "Students, you will follow your heads of house back to your common rooms. You're to stay there until an announcement comes from the headmistress herself. Understand that this is for your safety above all else."

As he finished, he scurried off to gather up his Ravenclaws as Madame Hooch began herding the Gryffindors off out of the hall.

Hanging towards the back of the group, Harry nodded towards Ron and Hermoine. The three of them slowly filed out with the rest of the students, and ducked out of line as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

With a bit of skulking, and close calls, they managed to get free of the interior of the castle. The pouring rain drenched their skin as they glanced around hurried, and set off at a dead-run towards Hagrid's cabin.

* * *

Jewel sat shivering on the floor of the cabin, the roof was caved in allowing the rain to pass through uninhibited. Fang was whining pitifully in the corner, as the red-haired witch clutched her wand, and stared fixedly at the sky. The front door was torn off its hinges, and Prince was standing stalk still on the threshold. His hackles raised and teeth bared as he attempted to locate the creature that had caused so much pain to his mate.

Lying on still on the table, unconscious, and even more dead looking than before, was Lily. Still, somehow, she clung to a thread of life, her mind and body still struggling to recover from the attack.

Movement outside, the sound of running feet and breathless bodies, caused Jewel to jump, but her gaze never wavered from that one fixed spot in the sky. Prince turned, his body relaxing slightly and tail wagging at whoever was approaching, a good sign. Whoever it was, the Dobhar-Chu knew and trusted them.

"Jewel?" it was Harry's voice and it caused the young woman to groan. He was just like his father, had to be in the thick of everything. He really should've known better.

"Go back inside Harry," called Jewel, her voice stronger than she felt. "It isn't safe for you to be down here."

"The demon attacked again, didn't it?" asked Harry as he and his two best friends approached the broken down door.

Hagrid, he must've let it slip... "Go back inside Harry," repeated Jewel as she attempted to regain her feet. "This really is no place for you."

"Move Prince," said Harry as he squeezed past the Dobhar-Chu who was taking up most of the doorway. "Come on, just scoot over," the otter-like creature shuffled back, allowing the three Gryffindors to enter the ramshackle remains of Hagrid's cabin.

"What happened here?" asked Ron incredulously as he looked around at the disastrous interior of the cabin.

"Jewel are you alright?" asked Harry crossing the room and offering a hand to the struggling Defense instructor. She grudgingly took it, steadying herself against the wall as she reached her feet.

"I'm fine, but you three really should not be here," said Jewel moving shakily across the room to check on Lily. The unconscious Dobhar-Chu was soaked from the rain, but there was little that could be done about it at the moment. "All you're going to do is act as more of an attraction to him."

"You mean the demon?" asked Hermoine slowly.

"Yes of course the demon," said Jewel. "They're attracted to those that are healthy and full of good-intentions. You should've just stayed inside."

"There's no way you're strong enough to defeat it if it were to come back," said Harry.

"You can't defeat a demon," hissed Jewel. "You can only drive them away to lick their wounds. They're not of this world, remember? As long as something is not on its home plane, it cannot be killed...unless it is by magic of its home or its opposite."

Jewel shivered, her eyes clenching shut as she grasped at her midsection. "He's coming back," she growled through the obvious pain that wracked her body. "It's no use running now. Shield charms work to a limited extent, and a good corporeal patronus should work to drive it back...at least make it think twice before it attacks again."

Another shudder broke through Jewel and she staggered and slipped to the floor as a resounding crack split through the sky.

Harry, Ron, and Hermoine glanced up through the shattered roof and came face to face with a creature of nightmares.

It was bipedal, and appeared to be standing on the air, supported by absolutely nothing. Back bent legs, muscular torso, long clawed fingers and toes, a thick tail, pointed ears, large curling horns, and glistening scales covered its body. Steam rose from it and there was a soft hiss as raindrops pattered against its hide and evaporated. So this...this was a demon.

A cruel grin crossed its human-esque face, revealing rows of sharp fangs as it flicked back its wrist. Instinctively Harry shouted, "Portego!" throwing up a hasty shield around himself. As a sudden movement to his left cast Hermoine and Ron out of the way.

A shower of sparks rained down around Harry and when his vision cleared he could see the demon's grin had increased. His shield had been completely obliterated by that blast, but beside him now stood the menacing form of Prince. The Dobhar-Chu seemed transformed from the friendly and docile beast that Harry had come to know.

"Expecto Pat-" he was unable to finish the spell as the demon hurled another unseen object towards him. Rising up, Prince's paw connected with something in mid-air, sending it flying back towards the demon. A low laugh escaped the hideous creature as it easily sidestepped the attack.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry's Patronus exploded from the end of his wand, the powerful stag charging towards the form of the demon with the intent to drive it away. A high pitched whistle from Prince seemed to momentarily freeze the demon, and gave the Patronus enough time to reach its target and blast against it.

The demon stumbled backwards in the air, as the Patronus reared and renewed its attack. Snarling viciously, it attempted to swat away the silvery form that was causing it so much harm, but Harry's will drove the Patronus onward. Another attack sent the demon backwards again, and this time it snapped its fingers, disappearing with a loud crack.

* * *

"You foolishness is going to be the death of you," stated Minerva McGonagall as she stood and faced Harry, Ron, and Hermoine in her office. "You three were extremely lucky in facing that creature. Few wizards get that lucky in their first encounter with a demon. Of course your luck was ten-fold because of the Dobhar-Chu at your side, and the advice that Jewel was able to give you before passing out."

"However," the headmistress continued. "Had you not been present, then it is highly likely that Jewel would've lost her life. It is because of that that I am going to refrain from punishing you for your blatant disregard for the rules. From now on, however, students will not be permitted outside of the castle without the direct supervision of at least one teacher and one auror.

"The ministry is doubling the number of Aurors on the premises, and including a special detachment to oversee the safe passage of students about the grounds. I'm afraid that this also means that quidditch practices will have to be limited to when at least two aurors will be able to be on guard.

"As far as we know right now, there is only one demon on the loose. Because the ministry is optimistic about its capture, the school will remain open for the time being."

The headmistress looked at the three youths before her and sighed. "Now about the attack on your common room. You may have heard of something called the 'house raids,' which took place back when many of the Order of the Phoenix were still students here at Hogwarts. In order to prevent a repetition of those events, a guard will be placed at the entrance to each of the four houses, and will be kept there all hours of the day.

"Knowing the password will simply not be enough. You will be physically compared to a picture of yourself stored in a special mirror. The creation of those mirrors will take place tomorrow morning as each of you are on your way down to breakfast."

McGonagall slowly lowered herself into the chair behind her desk. "You three missed my earlier announcements to the rest of the student body, and I would hate for there to be any misunderstandings and the exact details of these rules."

She leaned forward, looking at each of them and then finally letter her gaze settle on Harry. "Demons are unlike anything you've ever faced before. Indeed they put the dark lord to shame. He searched for a way to summon one from another plane for years before finally giving up on it. There was a reason why they were sealed away from contact with the rest of the world, and even more reason why the ministry forbade further dabbling in planar magic.

"These are things that frighten even the most powerful of wizards. This is not something for students, albeit highly gifted and capable students, such as yourselves to mess with. Am I understood?"

The three nodded their heads, not even bothering to glance at one another. This was not the time for words, anything that had to be said could be discussed amongst them later on, and away from the ears of authority.

* * *

The fire burned low on the hearth in the Gryffindor Common room as Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermoine sat talking quietly about the days events. There were few people about, the hour was getting late, and soon Madame Hooch would be about to make sure they were all in their rooms.

"It was afraid of me, I don't know why, I could just tell that it was afraid of me," said Harry as he sat with his arm looped around Ginny's shoulders.

"It did seem a bit panicked there at the end, right before it disapparated," commented Ron.

"My guess is that the presence of the Dobhar-Chu somehow increased your magic, because it didn't seem afraid at all until Prince showed up," said Hermoine as she steadily worked on writing out her arithmacy homework.

"I suppose that could be it," said Harry. "It just seems odd that everyone is so afraid of these things, and here I dealt with one and had little trouble. Once I conjured the patronus there was no trouble whatsoever.

"I am a bit worried about Jewel though, she didn't seem to be at all well when they brought her up from Hagrid's cabin."

"I'm sure she's alright," said Ron. "Though for a Defense instructor she seems rather weak."

"It's like McGonagall said," said Hermoine looking up from her parchment. "Demons are powerful creatures and are feared by even the most powerful wizards. It's a wonder Harry drove that one off as easily as he did. Though I suppose it had probably just received a bit of a beat from Jewel and was already on the weak side of things."

A low rumble reverberated through the stones of the castle, causing a trembling to rise up through the floor, shaking the lamps, glasses of water, students, everything. Not powerful enough to send anyone sprawling or knock anyone over, but more than enough to get everyone's direct attention.

"What the bloody hell was that!? exclaimed Ron as he and his friends quickly rose and moved towards the portrait hole with the rest of the students. Those that had already gone up to their rooms were hastily descending. Everyone murmuring as to what had caused the trembling.

Students were pressing towards the portrait hole and it was Hermoine who stopped them. "Remember the headmistress' warning," she said stepping into her role as a prefect and blocking their exit. "The last thing we want to do at this time is go towards a potentially dangerous situation. Everyone needs to return to their rooms, or whatever else they were doing. I'm sure we'll find out what's going on soon enough."

The other students seemed unwilling to listen her. So far the stories of the demon had been nothing more than rumors to them, they hadn't seen any reason to believe the headmistress' warnings.

Hermoine shot a pleading look towards Ron.

"Oy, you lot heard her," said Ron backing Hermoine up. "Away from the door and back to whatever it was you were doing." The decisiveness in Ron's voice was something that surprised even him, but it served the purpose of breaking everyone up and getting them to go back to their previous tasks, at least for the most part.

It was only moments later that the portrait swung open and Madame Hooch swept into the common room. "Is everyone alright?" she called laying a hand on the shoulders of each of her two prefects. "Thank you Ron and Hermoine," she said granting them each a smile. "The other Prefects weren't quite as skilled at keeping their charges at bay." She passed farther into the common room, eyes sweeping the interior for any signs of damage.

"Madame Hooch?" Hermoine was the first to speak. "Everyone is fine here, but what happened out there?"

"I'm afraid it's terrible," said Madame Hooch with a sour expression on her face. "The Slytherin Common room has been nearly demolished. No one's quite sure what happened, but the Auror guarding the entrance wasn't at his post. Slughorn was in a meeting with the rest of heads of house and hadn't yet joined him at his post."

"What do you mean, Demolished?" asked Harry slowly.

"Some sort of explosion," said Madame Hooch. "The entrance was blasted open, and yet another explosion has blackened and knocked apart the entire interior of the common room. Thankfully there were only a few minor injuries, and they're all being tended to in the hospital wing. The house elves have already set to cleaning up the mess, and everything should be back in order by tomorrow afternoon."

Ron elbowed Hermoine to keep her from making a comment about the enslavement of house elves.

The gryffindor head of house looked around at her students and smiled broadly, thoroughly relieved that none of them had been harmed. "Alright then," she said clapping her hands together. "All of you off to your rooms, I want everything to be absolutely silent in twenty minutes or less."


End file.
